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Welcome toyour Digital Edition ofAerospace & Defense

TechnologyApril 2014

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www.aerod

efensetech

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The Attack-Counterattack Game

Small Form Factor Strategies for Military Embedded Systems

Covert Infrared Battlefield Combat Taggants

More Electric, Integrated Fuel Systems

Inside the UK’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Center

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

April 2014

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AIntro

www.aerod

efensetech

.com

The Attack-Counterattack Game

Small Form Factor Strategies for Military Embedded Systems

Covert Infrared Battlefield Combat Taggants

More Electric, Integrated Fuel Systems

Inside the UK’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Center

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

April 2014

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2 Aerospace & Defense Technology, April 2014Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/49744-829

Aerospace & Defense Technology

ContentsFEATURES ________________________________________

6 Weapons Technology6 The Attack-Counterattack Game

10 Surveillance & Security10 Covert Infrared Battlefield Taggants

16 Small Form Factor Computing16 Small Form Factor Strategies for Military Embedded Systems

22 Propulsion: Energy Storage22 More Electric, Integrated Fuel Systems

26 Materials & Composites26 Toward Smarter Manufacturing and Materials

30 RF & Microwave Technology30 RF FPGAs for Multi-Function Systems33 3D Software Helps Development of Vehicle-Mounted Defense

Systems

38 Tech Briefs38 Software for Material/Structural Characterization Across

Length Scales39 Model Development Using Accelerated Simulations of

Hypersonic Flow Features

40 Chrono: A Parallel Physics Library for Rigid-Body, Flexible-Body, and Fluid Dynamics

42 Terrain Model as an Interface for Real-Time Vehicle DynamicsSimulations

DEPARTMENTS ___________________________________

4 What’s Online35 Technology Update44 Application Briefs46 New Products48 Advertisers Index

ON THE COVER ___________________________________

Signals intelligence, radar and communications arejust some of the military applications being support-ed with small form factor computers and softwareradio boards these days. To learn more, read thefeature article on page 16.

Illustration courtesy of Pentek

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4 www.aerodefensetech.com Aerospace & Defense Technology, April 2014

What’s Online

Top productsEngine fuel pump bushings

Metallized Car-bon Corp.’s Metcarcarbon-graphitebushings offer ad-vantages over tra-ditional metals foruse in gear pumpsthat pump avia-tion fuel for air-craft engines. Thecarbon-graphitebushings are usedto support both the drive gear shaft and the idler gear shaft.The bushings are preferred for this application because theycan use aviation fuel as the bushing lubricant. The bushingsare self-lubricating—they can run dry for short periods of timewithout catastrophic pump failure or significant wear. In addi-tion, they are dimensionally stable, which permits close bush-ing-to-shaft running clearances. More detail at http://articles.sae.org/12700.

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Microwave analog signal generatorsAgilent Technologies Inc.’s N5183B MXG and N5173B

EXG microwave analog signal generators provide the sig-nal purity, output power, and modulation developersneed for advanced radar, electronic-warfare, and satellite-communications applications. The N5183B MXG analogoffers accuracy and efficiency in two rack units. Its best-in-class phase noise of less than -124 dBc/Hz (at 10 GHz,10 kHz off-set) and -75 dBc spurious enables module- andsystem-level testing up to 40 GHz. It also accelerates thecalibration of complex systems with best-in-class switch-ing speed of less than 600 μs. More detail at http://articles.sae.org/12702.

High-power TIG weldersThe Dynasty 280 and Maxstar 280 TIG welders from

Miller Electric Mfg. Co. deliver more power and can weldmetal up to 3/8 in thick, yet are significantly lighter,more portable, and use less energy than machines of sim-ilar output capabilities. Weighing 52 lb and 47 lb, respec-tively, the Dynasty 280 and Maxstar 280 deliver up to 280 Aof output power along with a smooth, stable arc to handleany job from small to large. More detail at http://articles.sae.org/12698.

Top articles Predicting cavitation in fuel pumps

Liquid ring pumps are used in aircraft fuel systems inconjunction with main impeller pumps and serve the func-tion of removing fuel vapor and air from the fuel. Thus,their reliable functioning plays a critical role in the safe op-eration of aircraft during flight. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/12709.

Boeing examines expanded metal foils for lightningprotection of composite structures

A widely used material for lightning strike protection ofCFRP structures within the aerospace industry is expandedmetal foil (EMF). An issue with EMF is micro cracking of thepaint, which can result in corrosion of the metal foil and sub-sequent loss of conductivity. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/12712.

Falcon 5X gets advanced avionicsDassault Aviation has built into its upcoming Falcon 5X

flight controls and displays experience not only from theFalcon family of business jets but also from the Rafale multi-role combat fighter. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/12728.

SR-72 flies into 21st century at Mach 6Lockheed Martin recently confirmed that its Skunk Works

engineers are developing a hypersonic aircraft that will gotwice the speed of the SR-71 Blackbird, called the SR-72. Readmore at http://articles.sae.org/12619.

Thermal management for fuel-cell systems studiedA cooling architecture should be designed in a way that

cooling loops and heat sinks are used by different heatsources, researchers at the Hamburg University of Technologysay. Read more at http://articles.sae.org/12737.

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In the world of electronic countermeasures (ECM), there is a con-stant battle of one-upmanship,where each side is continually in-

novating to stay ahead of the other.ECM are typically developed and imple-mented to thwart an adversary’s specificradar technology. To be effective, Elec-tronic Attack* (EA) systems must be ableto identify emitters in the environmentand then selectively attack with specifictechniques. They must also possess theability to attack multiple emitters simul-taneously with a combination of non-coherent and coherent jamming tech-niques.

As an example, assume a missile sys-tem is targeting an enemy aircraft. Toconfuse the oncoming missile, theenemy aircraft triggers an ECM. Thegoal of the ECM is to deny or deceivethe incoming missile’s targeting systemso it will miss the aircraft. In order forthe missile to succeed against variousECM techniques, the missile’s targetingsystem must be “taught” to counter thecountermeasure.

This attack-counterattack game hasgiven rise to the need to develop elec-tronic attack (EA) systems that mirrorenemy techniques in order to test U.S.and allied systems performance. These

systems enable the testing and verifica-tion of weapon and defense systemsagainst an enemy’s ECM techniques.Armed with this knowledge, you candevelop capabilities to counter any elec-tronic countermeasures they employ.

Denial JammingOne EA technique is denial jamming.

Put simply, if an enemy system emitsone frequency with a particular pulse-width and pulse interval, your systemdetects and identifies that signal. Itthen blasts a massive amount of noise atthat frequency, jamming the enemyand preventing that frequency frombeing used. The next move belongs tothe enemy radar, which might simplyjump to another frequency. Think of itas a countermeasure followed by acounter-countermeasure. Then the de-tection game starts again.

Deceptive JammingA step above denial jamming is de-

ceptive jamming. Deceptive jammingrequires a higher level of sophisticationand this is where Digital RF Memory(DRFM)-based jammers come into play.A DRFM-based jammer receives andrecords the frequency, pulse-width andpulse interval of an enemy system and

produces a false return signal by playingback the recorded signal. This false sig-nal deceives the enemy system so that itsees the false return as a real target. Theenemy then tracks the false target in-stead of the real one.

As an example, assume enemy radarhas detected a fighter jet and startstracking it. If the fighter has an EA sys-tem on-board using a DRFM-based jam-mer, this system can detect the enemyradar, ingest the signal and create a falsereturn to the enemy radar. This false re-turn can take several variations includ-ing “ghosting” so that the enemy radarthinks that the target plane is in a dif-ferent location. DRFM-based systemsare highly effective at accomplishingthis based on their extremely low la-tency and ability to faithfully reproducereturns with all the signal characteris-tics of the radar source. The goal is tomake the enemy radar think that the re-turn signal is from the target ratherthan generated by a jammer.

In order to do this effectively, theDRFM must faithfully reproduce thecharacteristics of modern radar systemsincluding frequency and phase modula-tions on signal pulses. An advancedDRFM-based EA system also adds thenecessary modulations to the return sig-

* Electronic attack (EA) or electronic countermeasures (ECM) involves the use of electromagnetic energy, or counter-electromagnetic radiation weapons to attack personnel, facilities,or equipment with the intention of directly affecting, degrading, neutralizing, or destroying an enemy’s combat capability.

The Attack-CounterattackGameLeveraging Digital RF Memory Electronic Jammers for Modern Deceptive Electronic Attack Systems

Modern aircraft feature a variety of electronic counter measures for protection.

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Weapons Technology

nal, such as Doppler frequency modula-tion to match the range rate of the falsetarget. Lastly, an EA system using aDRFM follows any changes in signalcharacteristic produced by the enemysystem in order to deceive the enemysystem into “believing” that the falsetarget being generated is real. This takesthe focus away from the actual targetand protects it.

Threat AnalysisAnticipating the capabilities of an ad-

versary’s ECM system is a key componentto reducing the vulnerability of friendlyradar systems to new techniques. Mean-while, adversaries are constantly attempt-ing to develop radar systems less suscepti-ble to being jammed. This ongoingcat-and-mouse game is what pushes in-dustry innovation forward.

The best way to ensure that an adver-sary cannot counter friendly radar andweapons systems is to test against actualenemy jammers. In the U.S., that iswhere the test and evaluation (TE) com-munity comes into play. The TE com-munity is composed of various agencieswithin the Navy, Air Force and othergovernmental agencies. They assess andanalyze any existing or future ECMweapon systems that present a threat toU.S. or allied systems and warfighters. Itis the goal of the TE community to en-sure that electronic systems are not vul-nerable to jamming techniques.

The TE community collects signals in-telligence data or predicts signal trendsin order to identify the capabilities ofenemy EA systems. Using this informa-tion, ECM techniques can be generatedwhich mirror the behavior of enemy sys-tems. The TE community then teststhese techniques against U.S. and alliedradars and weapons systems to deter-mine their level of jamming success.

Various Testing ScenariosSimulated RF Environments: There

are multiple ways to test the effective-ness of electronic systems. In one testingscenario, an EA technique can be posi-tioned against a radar system in a labora-tory or anechoic chamber. By runningthe EA system in this type of setting, it ispossible to safely and cost-effectively de-termine if a jamming technique is able to

interrupt a radar system’s ability to ac-quire and track a target.

Some systems for test laboratories andanechoic chambers feature radar envi-ronment simulators (RES). State-of-the-art RES systems generate targets,weather, and other obstacles that a radarwould normally encounter. Electronic

countermeasures can be generated tofurther simulate the RF environment.

Depending on the application, an ac-tual plane or missile seeker can bebrought into a test chamber. Theirradars are tested to determine if theycan still track simulated targets amidststandard ECM techniques.

Various methods, such as anechoic chambers, are used to test the effectiveness of ECMs.

High performance EA systems arecritical for producing DRFM decep-tive jamming.

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Weapons Technology

Flight Systems: A second testingmethod calls for the mounting of anEA system on an aircraft. An adversaryECM system, or an ECM system whichsimulates the adversary system, can beplaced in a pod that is mounted on an-other plane’s wing. The two planes arethen flown against each other in an ex-ercise which allows military analystsand/or pilots to see exactly what theaircraft’s radar displays in a real com-bat situation.

ECM systems can also be placed inunmanned drones, which are then tar-geted by actual missiles. In this case, ifthe missiles never reach the drone, itwould verify the effectiveness of theECM system. This level of real-life test-ing eliminates any suppositions or esti-mations by engineers.

Jammer Simulation: Jammer simula-tion is the third EA testing method.When armed with the knowledge ofspecific jammer methods and tech-

niques, a jammer simulator can be pro-grammed to mimic the capabilities ofan EA system. The fidelity of the simula-tion can be evaluated for analysts togenerate a validation report to be usedby the TE community for test planning.Validated simulators can be usedagainst radar to verify the radar’s abilityto operate in the presence of a particularEA system and to minimize the system’svulnerability to jamming.

Roles and ResponsibilitiesIt is important to note that the TE

community is set up to coordinate thevulnerability testing for electronic sys-tems and then make determinationsbased on its findings. It is their job toidentify which systems work againstwhich techniques, and to what degree.Additionally, the TE community — notthe supplier of the EA test asset — is re-sponsible for programming the EA sys-tem to make specific signal measure-

ments and to generate particular jam-ming techniques.

ConclusionDRFMs play a critical role in ECM and

hence, in EA developments. By leverag-ing information captured from presentand future enemy systems, DRFM-basedtest systems can be employed to testnew EA systems and verify whether ornot these systems will succeed. With thegrowing reliance on electronic attacksystems to protect warfighters andequipment, continuous testing and up-dating is required. And leveragingDRFM-based test systems fills this needin a modular, programmable, and cost-effective manner.

This article was written by Tony Girard,Director of Engineering, Mercury DefenseSystems (Cypress, CA) – a subsidiary ofMercury Systems, Inc. For more informa-tion, visit http://info.hotims.com/49744-500


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Surveillance & Security

Covert Infrared Battlefield CombatTaggants

Modern warfare often in-volves poorly defined battlelines accompanied by multi-level fire support systems

that can deliver firepower with high pre-cision and devastating lethality from along distance. The ability to immediatelyand accurately discriminate throughsight between friend and foe is of greatimportance to military operations for ef-fectively destroying hostile forces whilepreventing fratricide. This ability is evenmore crucial for irregular and unconven-tional warfare such as anti-terrorism op-erations where US forces often engageenemy combatants well entrenched inurban settings or rugged terrains atnight. In such battlefield conditions,using conventional daylight and thermalimagery often exceeds the ability to ac-curately identify targets as friend or foe,and more reliable battlefield identifica-tion methods are needed.

Tagging, Tracking and LocatingTagging, tracking and locating repre-

sent a valuable technology for bothcommercial and military applications.For military operations, the tagging sys-tems (taggants and detectors) must sat-isfy three basic requirements: covert-ness, (i.e., signals cannot be easilydetected by common techniques), quickand accurate identification from a longdistance (up to a mile or farther), andboth lightweight and ruggedness suit-able for field applications. Other impor-tant criteria may include two-way com-munication, the ability to track andidentify a large number of subjects andobjects, and specific capabilities tailoredfor unique battlefield conditions.

Materials and devices emitting in theinfrared region represent an importantclass of covert optical taggants. Infrared(IR) light (from 0.75 μm to 1000 μm) iselectromagnetic radiation with wave-lengths longer than those operating inthe visible region. For military applica-tions, the IR wavelength is usually lim-ited to 15 μm. An integrated infrared

tagging system consists of three essen-tial parts: infrared emitting (or absorb-ing) taggants, photodetectors, and anintelligence interface. Certain materialscan emit infrared light through chemi-luminescence, photoluminescence orelectroluminescence.

There are three general groups of in-frared emitting materials: organic IRemitting dyes, lanthanide IR emitters,and semiconductor IR emitters. Manypure organic dyes have been developedespecially for NIR bimolecular imaging.The use of NIR fluorophores will elimi-nate background noise caused by theautofluorescence of biosubstrates. Com-mon organic NIR fluorophores includecyanine, oxazine and rhodamine dyes.The fluorescence maxima of these dyesare between 700-850 nm. Organic nearIR dyes can be used to make glowstick-type IR light sources through chemilu-minescence.

Organic dyes with fluorescence max-ima extending to far near IR and intoshort wave IR (SWIR) can be achievedby the formation of metal ion com-plexes. The most notable group of met-als whose ions are capable of narrowband infrared emission is the lan-thanide series with atomic numbers 57to 71 (lanthanum to lutetium). Lan-thanide infrared phosphors can also behosted in inorganic matrices. These in-organic host materials include fluorideand oxyfluoride optical glasses, such asNaYF, SiO2–Al2O3–NaF–YF3, and oxideglass/ceramics including SiO2, ZrO2,Y2O3, and Y3Al5O12 (yttrium aluminumgarnet; YAG).These inorganic host ma-terials are generally optically transpar-ent, especially in the IR spectral region.

Infrared emissions of lanthanide areoften achieved through photolumines-cence. Photoluminescence of lanthanidecations are due to their abundance of 4f–

Figure 1. Optical taggants can be used effectively in battlefield situations known as “identification friendor foe (IFF)”. Here a hyperspectral imager from the air identifies friendly soldiers in the general area whereboth sides are present. (Diagram courtesy Brimrose Corporation)

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S P O N S O R E D B Y

C A T E G O R Y

S P O N S O R

P R I Z E

S P O N S O R

Now it’s Your Turn.THE

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He Created the Future.Mark Wagner, Presidentof Sensorcon, Inc. Grand Prize Winner of the2012 Create the FutureDesign Contest.

Smartphones are getting smarter thanks to Sensordrone, a keyfob-sized device that dramatically

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4f and 4f–5d transitions. Well known IRemission wavelengths from lanthanideions are generally in the 1-3 μm regions,and this has led lanthanide ions to be-come active centers in laser gain mediummaterials. It is also known that severaltrivalent lanthanide ions possess possibleemission transitions in the MWIR spec-tral region (3-5 μm).

Semiconductor MaterialsSemiconductors are important optical

materials. Unlike organic fluorophores orlanthanide ions whose optical propertiesare mainly determined by molecular oratomic structures and are usually un-tun-able, optical emission and absorption ofsemiconductors are due to their uniqueband gap, which often falls into the in-frared energy region. Their wavelengthscan be further adjusted, either by formingcompound semiconductors or reducingthe size to cover a broad wavelengthrange. Semiconductors are the founda-tion materials for modern infrared detec-tors as well as infrared light emittingdiodes (LEDs) and laser diodes. LEDs andlaser diodes are commercially availablefor infrared light emission at wavelengthsfrom near IR to mid IR (1-5 μm).

LEDs and laser diodes both have theiradvantages and disadvantages. Com-pared to LEDs, laser diodes producemuch narrower band emissions, butthey may require cooling features suchas heat sinks, especially when operatingat high-energy densities, while for LEDsno cooling is needed. Light emissionsfrom LEDs and especially laser diodesare highly directional. This not onlyraises concerns about eye safety, butalso limits wide-angle visibility. There-

fore, light scattering/diffusing media areoften integrated with LEDs and laserdiodes. Examples of these optical mediainclude side-emitting fibers/strips andlight scattering lenses/coatings.

A new class of semiconductor-based in-frared absorbers and emitters are semi-conductor quantum dots. Quantum dots(QDs) are tiny semiconductor particlesusually below 20 nm in diameter. Quan-tum confinement occurs when the size ofa semiconductor crystallite is reducedbelow its exciton bohr radius. Thesesmall semiconductor crystallites, com-monly referred to as quantum dots, haveproperties between those of bulk materi-als and of molecules.

For smaller quantum dots (usuallybelow 10nm), quantum confinementdominates the electronic propertiesleading to highly discreet energy levels.In this region, the band gap and split-ting of energy levels are highly depend-ent on the size and shape of the quan-tum dot, and in general the band gap isinversely related to size. Therefore, theelectronic and optical properties ofquantum dots can be easily tuned by

varying the size during synthesis. The high versatility of quantum dots

for wide spectrum infrared absorptionand emission is also due to the availabilityof many types of narrow bandgap semi-conductors. Compared with quantumwell structures grown with either molecu-lar beam epitaxy or chemical vapor depo-sition, colloidal synthesized semiconduc-tor quantum dots are much cheaper tomake. With this low-cost factor, com-bined with the capability of highly effi-cient narrow wavelength photon absorp-tion and emission spanning a broadspectrum, quantum dots show promisefor revolutionizing infrared detection andemission applications including low-costinfrared detectors and infrared emittingdevices such as LEDs, laser diodes, andelectroluminescent displays (ELDs).

The encoding of optical signals gener-ated by taggant materials is a crucial stepfor achieving a rich collection of distinctmarkers/signals. Basic encoding tech-niques can rely on the manipulation ofthe population makeup of emitter mix-tures; the emitter/host materialrelation/interaction; the taggant excita-

Figure 2. A soldier wearing an optical taggant on his right sleeve. In the left photo, the taggant has not been activated. At the right photo, the optical taggant hasbeen activated. The activated taggant is not available in the visual spectrum, but only when using the hyperspectral imager, scanning at the predetermined wave-length. (Photos courtesy Brimrose Technology Corp.)

Figure 3. A Brimrose hyperspectral imager used for identifying optical taggants at unconventional wave-lengths.

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S P O N S O R E D B Y

C A T E G O R Y

S P O N S O R

P R I Z E

S P O N S O R

Now it’s Your Turn.THE

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tion algorithm; the choice of detectorsand detection techniques; and the use oflogical analytical tools such as comput-ers. For instance, through taggantmarkup manipulation, materials with

different emissions and excitation wave-lengths can be blended into multi-wave-length compound-emitters or strategi-cally distributed into patterns/layers toproduce sophisticated signals and codes

that can only be fully identifiable to tag-gant designers/manufacturers. A simpli-fied example of the compound taggantsystem can be illustrated by the excita-tion/emission behaviors of a two-compo-nent taggant mixture, Nd-doped ZrO2and Er-doped ZrO2, as shown in Figure 4.

Taggants based on electrically pow-ered emitters such as LEDs and laserdiodes can be encoded with sequencedflashing algorithms to achieve a strobo-scopic effect. The design of taggantemission spectra can also be tailored forspecific detector/imager systems. Mostinfrared detectors/imagers are only ef-fective with certain wavelength ranges.Therefore, taggant systems emitting sig-nals that cannot be fully detected with asingle type of detector are more covert.

Multispectral and hyperspectral tun-able optical filters, such as MEMS opticalmodulators and Acousto-Optic TunableFilters (AOTFs), can greatly enhance aninfrared detector’s capability for detectingFigure 4. Photon emissions of a mixture of Nd-doped ZrO2 and Er-doped ZrO2 excited at 1064nm.

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and de-convoluting complex optical sig-nals such as clustered emission peaks.Unlike other optical filter systems, AOTFsdo not suffer from the mechanical con-straints, speed limitations, image shift,and vibration associated with rotating fil-ter wheels, and can easily accommodatemultiple wavelengths. They are mechan-ically robust and lightweight, and areideal for field and handheld applications.

Acousto-optic technology can expandthe capability of common infrared de-tectors in many aspects. When an AOTFis integrated with an IR camera, they to-gether become a hyperspectral imager.With an AOTF-based hyperspectral im-ager, multiple LEDs with different wave-lengths can be used in the taggant. Thisallows the taggant to emit messagescoded with algorithms such as wave-length hopping and scrambling, en-abling covert optical communication.Such signals can only be correctly recog-nized by the hyperspectral imager, whilea broadband infrared imager cannot re-ceive the valid message. Full-duplexcommunications between the taggantand AOTF imager can be achieved whena simple photodetector is added to thetaggant, and an AO deflector (AOD) isadded to the AOTF imager. The AOD candirect an eye-safe laser beam to the tag-gant’s photodetector and send a messageby modulating the laser. This modula-tion function is an intrinsic feature ofAOD. The AOD can also point a narrowlaser beam on to an individual taggantto deliver a coded message.

Optical taggants emitting in the nearinfrared range have been deployed forbattlefield operations. These include in-frared light sticks and the LED-based Tronsystem. However, with the global avail-ability of 3G IR goggles capable of seeingup to 1 μm, they lose their covertness. Fu-ture taggants should operate in an IRwavelength that cannot be detected withcommon night vision scopes or humanbody thermal imaging devices such asFLIR. Currently shortwave IR (SWIR) be-tween 1-3 μm is a very attractive rangefor several reasons. First, it cannot be de-tected by either near IR wavelength nightvision scopes or long wavelength IR FLIRsystems. Secondly, IR cameras in thisrange are lightweight, compact, and op-erate at room temperature, not requiring

cryogenic cooling. Finally, IR emitters(such as LEDs and laser diodes) with var-ious SWIR wavelengths are available atrelatively low cost. Although taggants inthe mid-infrared region (3-8 μm) are alsohighly desirable, their development hasbeen hindered by the lack of low-cost de-

tectors and scarcity of available emittersin this range.

This article was written by Dajie Zhang,PhD, Senior Scientist, Brimrose Corpora-tion (Sparks Glencoe, MD). For more infor-mation, visit http://info.hotims.com/49744-501.

Aerospace & Defense Technology, April 2014 15Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/49744-840


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Small Form Factor Computing

The proliferation of unmannedmilitary vehicles tasked withcritical communications andradar requirements drives the

need for powerful data acquisition andsignal processing products that must fitinto increasingly tighter spaces. New in-dustry standards meeting these needsoffer smaller circuit boards and enclo-sures, optical gigabit serial links, and ad-vanced thermal management strategies.With new resources found in the latestprocessors and FPGAs, system designerscan now create powerful, compact sys-tems surpassing performance levelsachievable only a few years ago.

Emerging Small Form FactorIndustry Standards

The VITA and PICMG organizationsactively promote and maintain stan-dards for embedded systems suitable forcommercial and military applications.Consisting of interested members fromindustry, academic and government or-ganizations, each working group con-tributes towards the development of anew standard.

Once adopted and put into practice,refinements, and extensions to thesestandards ensure the long life cycle sup-port required for most government pro-grams. Customer acceptance of a newstandard fosters an open community ofvendors offering compatible productscompliant with the standards. Compet-itive market forces help keep costsdown, encouraging customers to re-quest new systems based on successfulstandards.

Five new small form factor standardsfor embedded system modules and back-planes are currently in draft or trial usestatus awaiting final adoption. Whileeach of these standards offers unique me-chanical features, all of them are deriva-tives of existing embedded system stan-dards. They all combine the mostappropriate aspects of proven designs andleverage new technology to help reducesize, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C).

VITA 59 – Rugged COM Express

The PICMG COM Expressstandard defines a seriesof modules (cards) andbackplanes supporting pro -cessors, memory, networks, andspecialized I/O. VITA 59 extendsCOM Express for use in harsh envi-ronments of extended temperature,shock and vibration. As shown in Figure1, this is accomplished through relativelysimple mechanical modifications to theprinted circuit board of the module, leav-ing the central PCB design largely intact.

This strategy allows developers to cre-ate two similar versions of each module,one for commercial, and one for ruggedapplications. Software and firmware canbe developed on the commercial plat-form and then later deployed withoutchanges in a fully ruggedized system.

VITA 73 – Rugged Small Form Factor Based on the electrical specifications

of VPX (VITA 46 and 48), VITA 73 aimsto shrink the modules and chassis asmuch as possible, while maintaining fullsystem-level performance in rugged en-vironments. Definitions for single- anddouble-wide modules, both 101.5 mmdeep and 71 mm across, include a vari-ety of backplane pin configurations sup-porting various module functions. Theseinclude power supplies, CPUs, 2.5 inchdisk drives, and payload functions suchas digital and analog I/O. The backplaneuses different types of pin/socket con-nectors for power, SATA, analog I/O, anddata. Gigabit serial data pins are rated to10 Gb/sec to handle the latest versionsof popular serial standards.

VITA 74 – System Small Form FactorModule

Like the VITA 73 specification, VITA74 embraces all of the VITA 46 VPXelectrical signal definitions for two sizesof small form-factor modules. Both are89 mm deep and 75 mm across, with awidth of either 12.68 or 19 mm. The

modules connect to the backplaneusing the same connectors defined inVITA 57 for FMC modules and carriers,with 200 or 400 contacts, depending onthe module width. Unlike VITA 73,these same connectors handle all powerand signal connections to the modules.

The gigabit serial pins support rates upto at least 8 Gb/sec to support PCIe Gen 3interfaces commonly found in embeddedplatforms. VITA 74 defines a comprehen-sive IPMI (intelligent platform manage-ment interface) using the I2C manage-ment bus that maintains and monitorssystem components and the identities ofFRUs (field replaceable units).

VITA 75 – Rugged Small Form Factor Unlike the other standards, VITA 75

addresses SWaP-C challenges by defin-ing characteristics for the system chassis,saving the details of module size and in-ternal connectors for later extensions.VITA 75 stresses the importance of ther-mal management packaging techniquesto place hot components as close as pos-sible to the cold plate or chassis walls.VITA 75 proposes two types of modules:stacked and bladed. Stacked modules usea male connector on one side of the PCBand a female on the opposite side, sothat adjacent modules can be joined bypressing them together. Bladed modulesare joined by a backplane with connec-tors similar to those on VITA 46.

Figure 1. VITA 59 Rugged

COM Express module adds thermal tabs to the

sides of COM Express boards to pull heat out to a rugged aluminum frame.

(Image courtesy MEN Micro)

Small Form Factor Strategies forMilitary Embedded Systems

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VITA 75 defines many differenttypes of rugged embedded sys-tem enclosures through nu-merous profiles for size,mounting and coolingoptions. Profiles forcircular militaryconnectors tohandle power,signals, networks,and other inter-faces follow a well definednomenclature inspired by VITA65. Likewise, numerous frontpanel profiles define variouscombinations of connectors tomeet requirements for a wide rangeof chassis sizes and system I/O requirements.

PICMG Rugged MicroTCAPICMG Specification 3.x defined ATCA (Advanced Telecom-

munication Computing Architecture) boards, backplanes andchassis for the latest generation of commercial communicationsequipment. AMCs (Advanced Mezzanine Cards) are daughter-cards that attach to the main ATCA carrier boards. Widespreadadoption of ATCA for high-volume commercial markets helpsto keep product prices lower than equivalent functions from tra-ditional COTS vendors.

The MicroTCA specification converts AMCs to modulesthat can be plugged into a small form factor chassis with abackplane. Its well-defined backplane topology using gigabitserial interconnections and platform management strategies,presents a very capable architecture for high-performance em-bedded systems for government and military applications inbenign environments.

Rugged MicroTCA extends these systems for deploymentin harsh environments of temperature, shock, vibration, hu-midity, etc. Specified limits proven in qualification tests ofthe latest versions of Rugged MicroTCA meet or exceed thoseof VPX. As a result, vendors of Rugged MicroTCA are now se-curing design wins for ruggedized military system programs.

Small Form Factor Enabling Technologies

Gigabit Serial InterfacesA common theme pervades all five of these new standards:

the use of gigabit serial interconnects to eliminate the parallelbus backplanes of previous generation systems like VMEbusand CompactPCI. Virtually all consumer, commercial, indus-trial, and military app lications have enjoyed widespreadadoption of these gigabit serial standards including Gigabit Eth er net (GbE), PCI Express (PCIe), SATA, SerialRa-pidIO (SRIO), and others.

A single gigabit serial link can deliver high speed data over asingle differential pair at rates to 10 GB/sec, or more. This reducesthe circuit board area and the number of connector pins requiredto sustain a given data transfer rate.

Figure 2. Rugged MicroTCA

module incorporating an AMC module in a

conduction-cooled enclosure suitable for harsh environments.

(Image courtesy VadaTech)

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FPGAsFPGAs offer designers more ways to

achieve smaller form factors than virtu-ally any other device. Built-in gigabit se-rial interfaces and standard protocol en-gines for PCIe and GbE eliminate the needfor additional interface chips. Customprotocol requirements, like SerialFPDP,can be configured using internal FPGA re-sources. This technique extends easily tosimpler tasks such as custom data format-ting, buffering and packetizing.

Configurable I/O ports on FPGAs han-dle direct connections to specialized pe-ripheral interfaces for exotic sensors andtransducers, like a 48-bit interface to a3.6 GHz 12-bit A/D, for example. Tim-ing, gating, triggering, and synchroniza-tion structures for critical applicationslike phased array radars take advantageof configurable logic, state machines,and counters, all inside the FPGA.

FPGAs also feature built-in advancedSDRAM controllers for direct connec-

tion to external DDR3 memory chips,essential for transient capture of radarpulses, digital delay lines and signalprocessing workspace. Sophisticated cir-cuitry automatically trains the memorytiming signals for optimum perform-ance at power up.

Front end digital signal processingrequirements, like digital down con-verters for software radios, are perfectcandidates for the many DSP enginesfound on most FPGAs. The largest Vir-tex-7 device now contains 3600DSP48E engines, vastly outstrippingthe raw processing power of DSPs andGPPs. This type of pre-processing candeliver two-fold savings: lower outputdata rates and simpler downstreamprocessing engines.

These many benefits result in smallercircuit boards, fewer components, andsimpler connections. At the same time,power dissipation for a given functionwithin a Virtex-7 FPGA has dropped by

half compared to the previous genera-tion Virtex-6. This eases thermal man-agement and extends missions for bat-tery operated or power sensitiveapplications.

Backplane Optical InterfacesInitiatives by standards organizations

for optical interconnections are nowyielding product offerings. Approvedstandards from the VITA 66 Fiber OpticInterconnect group define three back-plane optical interfaces for 3U and 6UVPX that are variants based on MT,ARINC 801 Termini, and Mini-Ex-panded Beam optical technology, re-spectively.

All of them support single- or multi-mode fiber interfaces by replacing oneor more of the standard VPX bladedconnectors. Blind-mate connectors be-tween the VPX module and the back-plane feature spring-loaded insertscontaining optical cable assemblies


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that float within metal housings.Alignment pins and holes in each halfof the mating assemblies ensure exactalignment of the polished ends ofeach optical path. The MT variant inVITA 66.1 provides the highest densitywith up to 24 pairs of optical fibers,while VITA 66.2 and 66.3 both provide2 pairs.

The unreleasedVITA 66.4 stan-dard based on thehigh-density MTferrule uses a half-size metal hous-ing for a smallermodule and back-plane footprint. Itsupports either 12or 24 pairs of op-tical cable. Firstversions of theconnectors are al-ready available

from ma jor vendors, including TE Con-nectivity and Molex.

To ease implementation of the opti-cal interface, Samtec is now samplingits FireFly™ Micro Fly-Over system.This small module interfaces 12 lanesof gigabit serial electrical signals tolaser transmitters and receivers con-nected through 12-lane optical flat rib-

bon cables and terminated in an MTferrule.

Figure 3 shows a 3U VPX carrier forFMC illustrating these small form factorenabling technologies including PCIeGen 3 system interface, the Virtex-7FPGA, and the first implementation ofthe proposed VITA 66.4.

Optical interfaces benefit small formfactor systems in many different ways.Optical cables are lightweight, smallerdiameter alternatives to copper cables,especially important in unmanned ve-hicles sensitive to weight and packedtightly with electronic payloads. Theyare completely immune to electromag-netic susceptibility or emissions foradded reliability in electrically noisyenvironments such as antenna mastsand engine rooms, and for added secu-rity against eavesdropping.

Optical cables can transport existinggigabit serial traffic at rates beyond 10Gb/sec, extending these interfaces be-tween modules, chassis and racks. De-pending on the optical fiber mode, theselinks can extend from 100 meters to sev-eral kilometers, easily covering thelength of the largest aircraft and surfacevessels. Remote sensors and data acquisi-tion pods in small enclosures can bemounted close to antennas, sending dig-itized signals back to a central processingcenter across optical links.

Choosing the Best Small FormFactor Solution

With so many proposed approachesto small form factor embedded systems,customers need to determine whichtechnical aspects of each approach aremost important for a particular applica-tion and carefully consider the compa-nies backing each standard. It is highlylikely that no single standard willemerge as the winner.

However, system designers waiting fora final outcome will miss out on the sig-nificant, tangible benefits availabletoday. New extensions to these standardswill be inspired by customer-driven op-portunities, helping steer the technologywith real-world requirements.

This article was written by Rodger Hosk-ing, Vice President, Pentek, Inc. (Upper Sad-dle River, NJ). For more information, visithttp://info.hotims.com/49744-502.

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Manufacturing/Materials

For well over a century theword “Sheffield” has been syn-onymous with high-qualitysteel products, ranging from

cutlery to heavy engineering productsfor bridges, railways, and aircraft. Fol-lowing many years of industrial declineas much traditional large-scale manu-facturing departed in the direction oflow-wage Asian economies, the regionsuffered accordingly.

However, high-quality specialist engi-neering and manufacturing continuedto remain competitive, especially forvery demanding sectors such as aero-space and energy generation. This hasled to the creation of R&D facilitiesalongside Sheffield University, within afast expanding hi-tech business parkdedicated to innovation in manufactur-ing processes, including composites,metallics, and hybrid components. Thishas just been boosted with the an-nouncement of a new $60 million proj-ect to build an advanced “showcase”factory, Factory 2050.

Factory of the Future Here Now Professor Keith Ridgway, Executive

Dean at Sheffield University’s AdvancedManufacturing Research Center(AMRC), told Aerospace & DefenseTechnology, “Our ambition is for Fac-tory 2050 to be the most advanced fac-tory in the world. It is part of our long-term development in high valuemanufacturing in which we have an in-ternational lead.”

The factory project will offer the lat-est technologies in the field of advancedrobotics, flexible automation, an un-manned workspace, and off-line pro-gramming in virtual environments. Ini-tially around 50 researchers andengineers will work in the new 14,400

ft² facility, which will incor-porate “the highest envi-ronmental standards.”

Sam Turner, Head of theAMRC Process TechnologyGroup, told Aerospace &Defense Technology that inthe past a lack of invest-ment had resulted in a gapin the manufacturing foodchain between those withspecial skills carrying outthe R&D and those engagedin manufacturing activity.Fundamental research leadsto core technology advan-tages that can deliver new business. Thetechnology should not be a barrier tomanufacturing but a key to unlockingmore efficient output.

According to Turner, there is a needfor a healthy interaction between acade-mia and industry. The manufacturingindustry should re-invent itself so that

it is managing a system rather than justmaking parts. Design should be seen asa means of manufacturing, and greaterquality is needed right through the sup-ply chain. Closer integration at all levelsis vital, he added. Best practice is essen-tial, of course, but industry must beagile so that it can modify its products

Toward Smarter Manufacturing and Materials At the U.K.’s new Advanced Manufacturing Research Center, engineers and innovators have at their disposal some of the world’s most advanced design and manufacturing assets for precision engineering.

by Richard Gardner

Laying down composite sheets in a clean area at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Center.

Just part of the extensive machining hall facilities.

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and this means it must have “moreheadroom” in how it uses technology inmanufacturing.

“We are attracting new talent intoengineering,” said Ridgway. He ex-plained that setting up the AMRC wasregarded as key to establishing a hi-techengineering R&D cluster that would en-courage the repatriation of more highvalue manufacturing back to the U.K.,where there is no shortage of youngpeople looking for a more promisingfuture.

Technology Benefits The AMRC is a true partnership and

funding comes from the university, theU.K. government, the E.U., and 77 par-ticipating companies. From the outsetBoeing has been a leading partner andother aerospace companies include Air-bus, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Safran,Spirit, and Goodrich.

Participating company partners, mostof which are global in operation, all havea share in the technology benefits forthey are involved in the overall goal ofimproving new means, methodologies,tools, and techniques that will advancematerials and manufacturing technologywithin their own organizations.

As an indication of the scale of sav-ings that can be made possible by suchinnovation, Ridgway said that in somecases manufacturing costs had been cutby a factor of five.

Both Boeing and Rolls-Royce have in-vested heavily in the AMRC site and itsspreading campus. A huge futuristicRolls-Royce single-crystal fan blademanufacturing plant is already on siteand in production and is claimed to bethe most efficient aerospace enginecomponent manufacturing plant any-where, with very advanced processesthat are kept well away from the eyes ofcasual visitors.

A big attraction of being in partner-ship at the AMRC is the “win-win” sit-uation for everyone. For the facilitymanagers, partner companies supplyfree of charge their latest equipmentand systems for use in the various spe-cialized work areas. These represent thevery latest examples of hi-tech ma-chines and specialist equipment, sothey are suitable for evaluating and

testing new innovative processes andmethodologies.

In turn, this provides the supplierswith invaluable high-quality feedbackthat helps them improve the product tomake it even more flexible and efficientand also serves as a highly visible

demonstration asset to attract new cus-tomers and sales.

Material Advances The AMRC was originally envisaged as

an R&D center-of-excellence for hi-techmachining technology, but with the in-


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creasing use of composite ma-terials, hybrid metallic/composites, and now, 3-Dprinted components, as wellas advanced metallics, thescope has been widened tocover all high-end manufac-turing materials and pro cesses.Examples include casting andmachining titanium and alu-minum and all methods offabricating composite struc-tures and components. Sourcesclaim this to be at least sixyears ahead of any other simi-lar facility. Europe’s largestelectron beam welding facili-ties are also included on site.

The Composites Center in the AMRChas facilities for autoclave and out-of-autoclave composites manufacture.Computer controlled automatic fiberplacement of layered materials repre-sents the latest technology, butSheffield has a 200-year old local legacyof weaving skills and this has been ex-ploited to incorporate traditional inter-woven material patterns and techniquesthat can be tailored very precisely using3-D weaving machines for today’s hi-tech requirements, especially in theaerospace sector.

Using different woven patterns in thematerial and different thicknesses cangive added rigidity or flexibility andadded density for strength where it isneeded, and this includes using mixedmaterials combining metallics with thecarbon fiber. An aluminum matrix com-posite material has been developed andtested for automotive applications.There is almost no limit to the permuta-tions possible in preparing and makinghybrid or all-composite structures andcomponents and the research, testing,and evaluating at AMRC extends intonext generation wing spar develop-ments and highly complex moldingtechniques.

Other research activities include fila-ment winding for composite tubes andmicrowave curing processes. An associ-ated aspect of all R&D work involvesfactoring in the need to reduce energyconsumption at all stages in the manu-facturing process. In some cases a re-design of processes and methods has

shown a reduction of up to 80% is pos-sible.

In the AMRC Assembly Center thelatest laser scanners and robotic systemsare capable of working to tolerances of15 micron, with huge reductions in op-erational timescales. One program suc-cessfully reduced a procedure that pre-viously took one and a half days to justsix minutes.

Creating a safe as well as hi-tech man-ufacturing and assembly environmentis a key feature where operating bound-aries are being pushed further out allthe time. The use of advanced virtual re-ality and simulation tools are used fortraining as well as in other stages in thedesign, evaluation, and manufacturingstages of a project.

As a part of a feasibility study with apartner, a kinematic simulation of a pro-posed machine for 787 manifold assem-bly was completed to allow the center tovalidate the proposed design and easilycommunicate the scope of the innova-tion to the customer. During the visit tothe AMRC, this reporter was able to ex-perience the latest 3-D virtual reality ca-pabilities, using a visor and hand con-troller to allow virtual components to beremoved and relocated from a largeaerospace engine that was complete inevery detail. It was possible to accuratelymanipulate the virtual hand movementsquite naturally after a few minutes andto become completely immersed in thetask. In reality the engine existed only ina virtual environment within an emptywhite-walled chamber.

Castings Technology Inter-national is wholly owned byAMRC and is a comprehen-sive casting research facility,with a titanium casting capa-bility as large as any in theworld. Some 75 partners areinvolved and the facilities onsite include casting design,patternmaking, cure making,molding, preheating and as-sembly, melting and pouring,inspection, machining, andfinishing. There is a 1000-kgtitanium melting capabilityand high strength steel cast-ings can be manufactured involume.

All aspects of inspection and valida-tion are covered and the productiontechnologies are very wide ranging,from titanium casting to additive lay-ered pattern manufacturing, with be-spoke patterns grown from a laser usinglight-sensitive resins. There is a uniquecapability in-house at CTI for makingland-based turbines and this could beexpanded into aerospace structuralmanufacturing.

In the Design and Prototyping Centernew designs for manufacturing are stud-ied in close cooperation with manySMEs who are currently involved insome 120 active projects. The center isseen as a highly effective facility to edu-cate personnel from smaller engineer-ing companies who would not be ableto invest in such advanced design andtest tools and systems on their own.

In the Structural Test Center there arethe very latest facilities for componenttesting and validation including 8-axisloading system tools. There is also a mi-croscopy laboratory for micro structuralevaluation where material changes re-quire very precise and accurate measure-ments with screening to determine thechemical composition within the mate-rial. In another clean-room area withinthe AMRC, extremely accurate measur-ing is undertaken with the aid of 3-axistouch-sensitive probes that record sur-face touch points and can be used toconstruct planes, surfaces or complexcurves that are accurate to 5 micron.

An indication of the strategic visionat the AMRC is the establishment of a

The new apprentice school teaches young students basic workshop skillsleading to more advanced specialisation and academic qualifications.

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new Training Center where this pastFebruary 250 young apprentices wereadmitted to join others already learningbasic engineering workshop skills, lead-ing through a phased curriculum tomore advanced training using the mostmodern CAD/CAM digital design andmanufacturing tools and equipment,and classroom training aids, includingvirtual reality welding stations.

From these educational buildingblocks the apprentice students canprogress on to more specialist skills andacademic qualifications, while havingaccess to advanced equipment and sys-tems that will equip them for a forward-

thinking future career in engineering.These apprentices are sponsored bycompanies that will directly benefitfrom the high quality and motivationof these young people.

The start they are being given at theAMRC campus will ensure that they

build their personal skills and sharedwork experience on the basis of asound “future-proofed” framework ap-propriate for the needs of the 21st Cen-tury, and not restricted by legacy prac-tices and methods.


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GKN Aerospace is leading a proj-ect under the Structures TechnologyMaturity (STeM) program that aimsto automate the assembly of aircraftstructures with the goal of creatingconsistently high-quality wing struc-tures 30% faster than is possibletoday. This STeM program is basedaround an advanced winglet as thedemonstrator component, using thisto progress a range of innovativeassembly technologies. The com-plete assembly tooling and roboticstrategy for the winglet has beendeveloped by GKN Aerospace in collab-oration with the AMRC and NIKONMetrology. Designed to be genericand therefore equally applicable tomany fu ture aircraft wing and fuse-lage structures, the process usesmany emerging automated androbotic techniques that, as well asspeeding assembly, will provide aconsistent end product.

Speeding up theProcess

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Propulsion

More Electric, Integrated Fuel SystemsEngine system reliability can be improved by advanced electric architectures, while the reduction of hydraulic components, fuel tubes, and fittings can enhance the maintainability of the engine andminimize pilot workload.

Global warming and envi-ronmental friendlinessconsiderations have re-cently been key for multi-

ple global industries. In the commer-cial aviation industry, reduction ofaircraft emissions, including CO2and noise, is an urgent priority. Bothaircraft and aircraft engine manufac-turers are striving to improve designto accommodate the needs of com-mercial airlines. Engine manufactur-ers in particular have worked longand hard to improve each enginecomponent, e.g., compressors, tur-bines, combustors, etc.

However, the need for another ap-proach to further improve engine ef-ficiency motivated researchers fromIHI Aerospace to focus on the systemapproach, including the control sys-tem, fuel system, or other engine sys-tems, ultimately resulting in an MEE(more electric engine).

The MEE is a new engine systemconcept that seeks engine efficiencyimprovements, which results in a re-duction of engine fuel burn and CO2emissions. The key concept of theMEE system involves the architec-ture for the electrical power genera-tion by the engine and changing thepower source for accessories frommechanical/hydraulic to an electricmotor.

IHI focused on the electrificationof the engine fuel pump system be-cause of its contribution to fuel burn re-duction. The researchers conducted afeasibility study of the MEE fuel systemfor an assumed small-size turbofan en-gine, and the result indicated an im-provement in specific fuel consumption(SFC) by about 1% during cruising. TheSFC improvement would be accom-plished by removing the fuel bypass cir-cuit and eliminating the ACOC (air-

cooled oil cooler), which worsens en-gine efficiency.

There are several technical challengesfor the practical design of the MEEmotor-driven fuel pump system. Failureof the engine fuel pump may induceIFSD (in flight shut down) of the engineand result in catastrophic failure of theaircraft. To avoid such critical situationsand ensure better reliability than that of

the conventional system, a fault-tol-erant design of the electric drive ismandatory.

For the MEE fuel pump system cur-rently being developed, IHI has pro-posed the use of a permanent magnetblushless ac servo motor. In the servomotor control system, the electricalcurrent is adequately controlled corre-sponding to the required torque fromthe fuel pump. The control systemcontains a limiter function to avoidoverload of the motor, and a motorpower-off function for emergencyshutoff of the fuel supply.

In addition, IHI proposed the in-troduction of advanced fault-toler-ant technologies such as a unique ac-tive-active redundant motor controlsystem to the MEE. The active-activecontrol enables the supply of thesame amount of fuel to the enginecombustor in case a single open fail-ure occurs in one of the redundantmotor systems.

Conventional vs. MEE FuelSystems

In current commercial aircraft, theaircraft system consists of various sub-systems, and each subsystem is inde-pendently designed to accommodatethe specific requirements or opera-tional conditions designated for eachsubsystem. The independency some-times causes duplicated functions andcomplicated system design.

One typical example of a segregatedsystem is the engine fuel system. It is in-dependent from the aircraft fuel systemand both systems are designed to ac-commodate various conditions, whichare designated at the interface point be-tween aircraft system and engine inlet.Integrating the aircraft and engine fuelsystem would be helpful to construct amore efficient and simplified system,

Schematic of an MEE (more electric engine) electric fuelpump system vs. a conventional fuel pump system.

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Aerospace & Defense Technology, April 2014 www.aerodefensetech.com 27

Propulsion

but it seems not to be practical in theconventional aircraft system.

The aircraft system contains electricmotor-driven fuel boost pumps, shutoffvalves, and cross feed valves as a mini-mum. There may be fuel transferpumps, such as electric motor-drivenpumps or ejector pumps, for transfer-ring fuel between the tanks. In the caseof a twin engine aircraft, the left- andright-hand engines are supplied withfuel from the left and right wing tank,respectively, during normal operation.If IFSD occurs in one of the engines, thecross feed valves would be activated tosupply fuel from the opposite side tankto avoid an imbalance of fuel mass.

The engine fuel system consists of anAGB (accessory gear box)-driven fuelpump, FMU (fuel metering unit), andFPV (fuel pressurizing valve) at a mini-mum. Performance characteristics ofthe fuel pump are determined so thatthe pump supplies sufficient fuel flowwith the obtained fuel inlet conditionand engine operating condition.

Typically, the fuel pump consists of anLP (low pressure) impeller pump and HP(high pressure) gear pump. The LP pumpincreases fuel pressure at the HP pumpinlet for the proper suction of fuel.

A more electric architecture supportsthe integration, simplification, and re-construction of the aircraft and enginefuel system because of increased con-trollability, a modular design, and flexi-bility of component installation.

The MEE electric fuel system simpli-fies the engine fuel system by eliminat-ing the fuel bypass circuit and compli-cated FMU. In addition, the MEE fuelsystem increases the flexibility of theengine fuel pump installation, because

it is not necessary any more to attachthe motor-driven fuel pump to the en-gine AGB. The location of the pumpmay be moved to an area other than theexternal surface of the engine. It meansthat the engine fuel pump is possiblyconsidered as one of the componentswithin the aircraft fuel system, and apossible location would be in the na-celle, fuselage, or wing.

Current aircraft fuel systems and en-gine fuel systems have duplicated func-tions, such as a boost pump, which en-

ables the provision of proper suction offuel from the tank, and a shutoff valvethat shuts off fuel to the engine com-bustor. An integrated fuel system wouldremove the burden of the aircraft andengine interface condition, removingthe duplicated function as much as pos-sible and simplifying the system con-struction.

Integrated Fuel System Benefits A reduction in fuel burn is expected

through the introduction of the MEE

Schematic depicting the MEE fuel pump system.

An example of a conventional aircraft and engine fuel feed system.

IHI researchers propose integrating the fuel feed system between the aircraft and engine, as shown in thisconcept.

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Propulsion

electric fuel system, which eliminatesthe loss in fuel system efficiency causedby the AGB-driven pump system.

Also, the number of components inthe fuel system would be minimized.In the conventional aircraft fuel sys-tem and engine fuel system, which areseparated from each other, there is aduplicated function between the air-craft components and the engine com-ponents. One of the typical examplesis the pressure boosting function to en-sure that the engine fuel pump prop-erly suctions fuel from the aircraft fueltank.

In the conventional system, electricmotor-driven fuel boost pumps, whichare usually submerged in the fuel tank,pressurize fuel to provide the minimumpressure required by the engine fuel sys-tem. Typically, the aircraft boost pump isthe impeller type and adds about 50 psito the tank pressure. However, the enginefuel pump also has a LP impeller pump toboost fuel pressure at the engine inlet be-cause the engine fuel pump is required tosupply fuel even though the aircraftboost pump is in operational condition.

In the proposed integrated system,the boosting function is accomplished

by the LP impeller pump in the electricfuel pump unit. The feasibility study ofthe small-size turbofan MEE fuel pumpshows that the single shaft electricpump, which drives both the LP im-peller pump and HP gear pump by thesame shaft, can suction fuel during anaircraft boost pump failure. The sub-merged aircraft fuel boost pumps can beremoved, which will not only con-tribute to a reduced number of compo-nents, but also remove the submergedcomponents in the fuel tank.

Another possible approach to reducethe number of components is to removethe cross feed valves and electric trans-fer pumps. In a conventional fuel sys-tem, the cross feed valve is necessary tohave fuel mass balance between the leftand right wing tanks in case one of theengines is shut down. In the proposedintegrated fuel system, the left mainpump unit has fuel inlets connecting toboth left and right wing tanks. It is thesame for the right main pump unit. Theleft and right main pump units alwayssuction fuel from both the left and rightwing tanks, so the fuel mass balance be-tween the tanks will be maintained au-tomatically, allowing the cross feedvalve to be removed.

In the integrated fuel system study foran assumed single-aisle aircraft, it was es-timated that the aircraft boost pumps, en-gine FMUs, and MFPs (main fuel pumps)in the conventional system would be re-placed by four sets of electric fuel pumpunits. In addition, with the cross feedvalves and aircraft shutoff valves re-moved, the total number of LRUs (line re-placement units) in the integrated aircraftsystem is expected to be reduced to abouthalf of the conventional system.

The proposed integrated systemeliminates electric valves such as thecross feed and shutoff valves as muchas possible. However, in consideringemergency situations—for example, se-vere fuel leakage from anywhere in thesystem—isolation of the fuel systemmay be required to avoid loss of the air-craft fuel. For that purpose, the addi-tion of monitoring devices such as fuelpressure sensors, leak detectors, andelectric shutoff valves may be consid-ered. Also, if the aircraft system wantsto control the fuel amount in the left

This proposed schematic of the integrated fuel feed system concept is for an assumed 150-200-seat sin-gle-aisle aircraft with twin engines, such as a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.

Fuel connecting chart of the proposed system shows the fuel line among the tanks, electric pump units,and engines. Redundant electric fuel pump units are connected to each engine.

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AIntro

and right tanks independently, thatwould be accomplished by the additionof the electric shutoff valves in the sys-tem. Thus, the proposed integratedelectric fuel system has the flexibility toincorporate additional electric devicesand will support aircraft system re-quirements.

As mentioned above, the reduction inthe number of LRUs will be achieved byintroduction of the integrated fuel sys-tem. In addition, components that aresubmerged in the aircraft fuel tanks,such as the aircraft boost pumps, will beremoved. One possible location for theelectric fuel pump units is the fuselage,inside of the access door.

Currently, LRUs are installed into dis-tributed locations among the aircraftwing, aircraft tank, and the engine. In theintegrated system, the LRUs may be in-stalled in one place in the aircraft fuselage,so that replacement of the pump unit willbe much easier than the currentaircraft/engine fuel system components.Reduction in the number of LRUs, accessi-bility, and replaceability of the electricpump unit will improve the maintainabil-ity of the aircraft/engine fuel system.

Because the integrated system allowsfor the removal of the cross feed valves,adjustment of the tank balance by pilotswould not be necessary anymore.On/off of the current submerged aircraftboost pumps is usually conducted by pi-lots to maintain a minimum amount of

fuel in the tank, which is previously de-termined to avoid heating of the pump.

In the proposed integrated fuel sys-tem, the electric fuel pump units wouldbe installed outside of the fuel tank, in-stead of the submerged boost pumps.Pilot operation for the cross feed valves

or boost pumps would not be necessary;thus, reduction of pilot workload wouldbe expected.

This article is based on SAE Interna-tional technical paper 2013-01-2080 byNoriko Morioka IHI Corp. and HitoshiOyori, IHI Aerospace Co.


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If decentralized drive intelligence is called for, maxon motor control provides the answer: All speed and positioning controllers are designed to match with DC motors up to 700 watts power. The EPOS2 positioning controller can be used with CANopen and Interpolated Position Mode.

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Maintaining control has never been easier.


Propulsion

Table. LRU Comparison

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RF & Microwave Technology

RF FPGAs forMulti-FunctionSystemsA dynamically reconfigurable, widebandprogrammable RF FPGA transceiver will providereduced lifecycle cost, reduced redesign cost, andservice for multiple DoD platforms, whilemaintaining near-optimal performance for eachapplication.

State-of-the-art RF integratedcircuits (ICs) achieve high per-formance via custom circuitelements with dedicated sig-

nal paths for application-specific func-tions, but long design lead times andnon-recurring fabrication costs increasetime-to-market for new applicationsand limit reuse. The key to developingan RF FPGA (radio frequency field-pro-grammable gate array) is to provide RFswitching components with very lowinsertion loss and high isolation thatcan be integrated with high-perfor-mance RF circuits in silicon germanium(SiGe) and gallium nitride (GaN) tech-nologies, and integrating these circuitsin a reconfigurable topology to allow an

RF FPGA to perform a wide variety offunctions.

Key elements of the RF FPGA ap-proach are:• Extremely low-loss, high-isolation RF

switches using phase change materials(PCM). Multiport RF switch designs (Fig-ure 1) optimize thermal design to im-prove PCM performance, and integratearrays of these switches on thermallyand electrically optimized substrates.

• Multiport switch designs with lowsimulated RF losses of 0.1 - 0.2 dB upto 20 GHz, and 35dB - 60dB isolationbetween ports, based on measured andextrapolated PCM data. They consumeno prime power except for 100-nsecheater pulses during reconfiguration.

• An architecture that connects theseswitches in a fully interconnected ma-trix to allow total flexibility in inter-connecting and switching between RFelements and to inputs/outputs.

• Dynamically RF tuned banks of wide-band, high-performance LNAs (lownoise amplifiers), mixers, vector mod-ulators, driver amplifiers, and poweramplifiers using programmable circuitbias and circuit mission reconfigura-tion techniques.

• Development of a family of RF FPGAsthat can be configured in a variety ofways: as a standalone RF transceiver, asT/R (transmit receive) elements in anAESA (active electronic scanned array),or as an IF (intermediate frequency) orbaseband receiver. Packaging in 12 x12-mm QFNs (quad-flat no-leads) pack-ages with matched RF I/O for low pack-age insertion loss is used to allow mul-tiple RF FPGAs to be integrated inflexible configurations.

• Demonstration of the RF FPGA tech-nology against multiple DoD systemapplications with transition potentialto a wide range of DoD systems.

Robust, Low-Loss SwitchTechnologies

To produce an efficient RF FPGA, acompact, low-loss RF switch is the essen-tial technology needed. The phase changeRF switches will be used to create a fullyinterconnected switch matrix (Figure 2).These switches will connect banks of RFcomponents (e.g., LNAs, mixers, filters,vector modulators) on the RF ICs to eachother, also allowing routing from any of

Figure 2: The flexible switch matrix connects RF circuit banks with each other and I/O for a high level ofreconfigurability.

RF

GV+

RF

G V+

RF

GV+

RF

GV+

Figure 1: The 8-port phase

change RF switch design.

LNA Bank• LNA 1• LNA 2• LNA 3• LNA 4• LNA 5

Sub-Octave Filter BankVector

Modulator BankIF Down-Convert

Mixer Bank

Baseband Down

Convert

• BB DCM 1

RF1In

RF1Out

RF2/3Out

RF2/3In

Low Loss Multi-port Phase Change

Switches

Fully Connected RF Routing on Low-Loss Transmission Lines

• Filter 1• Filter 2• Filter 3

• Filter 4• Filter 5• Filter 6• Filter 7

• VM 1• VM 2

• VM 3• VM 4

• IF DCM 1• IF DCM 2

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AIntro


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these circuits to the RF FPGA I/O. The RFswitches are fabricated on separate silicon(SiC) wafers, optimized for RF and ther-mal phase change performance, and thenflip-chip-bonded to the RF component IC.

To further minimize RF losses due tothe switch matrix, the routing lines be-tween switches are fabricated using high-conductivity metal (such as copper), 50-Ohm transmission lines on low lossdielectric, such as BCB. The transmissionlines will be configured as microstrip,with lines over and under the groundplane to provide the isolated RF signalcrossover capability required by the fullyinterconnected matrix. The stackupshowing the integration of the RF IC, in-terconnect matrix, and switches in a QFNpackage is shown in Figure 3.

High-Performance RF ArchitectureThe RF FPGA uses a coarse-grained ar-

chitecture consisting of major functionalblocks with reconfigurability both within

the blocks and between the blocks. Thisapproach provides higher RF perform-ance than a fine-grained architecture,and has the degree of flexibility neededfor a wide range of applications due tothe fully connected RF switch matrix.

The receiver FPGA contains banks ofLNAs, sub-octave filters for RF filtering,vector modulators for beam steering,down conversion mixers, and digital con-trol. Jazz SiGe is used as the integrationplatform because the RF performance isvery good, digital control and power sup-ply circuits for the phase change heaterscan be easily integrated into the same IC,and device fabrication is relatively inex-pensive. The number of RF elements andtheir bandwidths in each bank have beenselected to provide the 0.4 to 18 GHzrange, based on previous SiGe designs.

Filter FPGAs contain receiver filtering re-quired for application-specific needs. Thetransmitter FPGA contains banks of up-converters, vector modulators for beam

steering, filters, output amplifiers, and dig-ital control, and is baselined as a SiGe IC.

The power amplifier FPGA contains abank of GaN power amplifiers with upto 8W output power, with controllablebias and switchable gain stages to serv-ice a wide range of frequency, poweroutput, and class of operation.

Figure 3: The RF FPGA integrates the RF IC, inter-connect matrix, and switches in a QFN package.

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Aerospace & Defense Technology, April 2014

What’s On

Robonaut Gets LegsNASA engineers are developing andtesting climbing legs for the InternationalSpace Station’s robotic crew memberRobonaut 2 (R2). These new legs willprovide R2 the mobility it needs to helpwith regular and repetitive tasks bothinside and outside the space station.www.techbriefs.com/tv/robonaut-legs

NASA Telescope Reveals How Stars Explode One of the largest mysteries in astronomy— how stars blow up in supernovaexplosions and seed the universe withelements like gold and iron — is beingresolved with the help of NASA’s NuclearSpectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR).Watch this simulation showing how shockwaves likely rip apart massive dying stars.www.techbriefs.com/tv/NuSTAR-telescope

Autonomous Landing SoftwareTested on Xombie RocketJet Propulsion Laboratory has successfullytested new software called G-FOLD thatenables a rocket to select an alternatelanding site, autonomously. The test wasperformed with Masten Space Systems’XA-0.1B Xombie rocket. You’re on-boardfor the flight in this video.www.techbriefs.com/tv/G-FOLD-software

Opportunity Celebrates Ten Years of ExplorationA decade after it landed on Mars, theOpportunity Rover continues to explore.The rover’s science team explains howOpportunity traversed Mars, examinedthe diverse environment, and sent backdata that transformed our understandingof the Red Planet.www.techbriefs.com/tv/rover-anniversary

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Wideband RF Building BlocksRelatively wideband RF components are used, and perform-

ance configurability is incorporated within these compo-nents. This gives high performance with wide frequency ap-plication range. For example, very nearly equivalentperformance can be achieved in 3:1 bandwidth SiGe LNAs, asthat achieved in narrow-band LNAs. The mixers and vectormodulators can function over even wider bandwidths withvery good performance.

A small bank of LNAs, mixers, and vector modulators canperform over 0.4 to 18 GHz. Tuning is also incorporatedwithin these components; for example, the LNAs have ad-justable bias and switchable gain stages to optimize gain,noise figure, and TOI versus power dissipation as required bythe application.

Wide-Frequency, Scalable Transmit PowerThe power amplifier RF FPGA contains a bank of GaN re-

configurable power amplifiers with >3:1 bandwidth capabilitycovering 0.4 to 18 GHz frequency. Using switched-in ampli-fier stages, it provides up to 8W CW RF output. High effi-ciency of a class AB PA can be maintained as the input driveis reduced by varying the drain and gate bias with the drivesignal. Greater than 40% efficiency over a 10:1 range of powerlevels was demonstrated. For an 8W RF output, thermal analy-sis shows an acceptable <100 °C temperature rise in the finaloutput RF switch due to self-heating. Lower power-level appli-cations (up to 100 mW) can be met with drive amplifiers inthe transmit FPGA.

Digital Configuration and ControlThe RF FPGAs are completely reconfigurable in the field via

control with digital control words coming into the SiGe RFICs, based on the RS-232 standard. To control performancewithin a circuit block (e.g., LNA or mixer), there are embeddedDACs and control registers to control bias and other settings.The SiGe ICs also provide the controlled voltage pulsesneeded for phase change switches. The power control cir-cuitry for each switch is located on the SiGe IC under theswitch location to minimize parasitics and provide 20 nsecpower turn-on and 20 nsec power turn-off, which provides forhigh-performance phase change switch operation and <1 mi-crosecond reconfiguration times.

ConclusionThe RF FPGA approach uses arrays of these high-perfor-

mance RF IC circuit elements, and achieves flexibility by re-configuring the signal path between desired elements withminimal degradation, due to use of low-loss phase changeswitching technology. This enables multiple applications ofthe same RF FPGA components with near-custom perform-ance. This shortens procurement cycles, improves affordabil-ity, and provides mid-mission reconfigurability.

This article was written by Mike Lee, Mike Lucas, Robert Young,Robert Howell, Pavel Borodulin, and Nabil El-Hinnawy ofNorthrop Grumman Electronic Systems. For more information, visithttp://info.hotims.com/49744-541.

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AIntro



3D Software Helps Development of Vehicle-Mounted Defense Systems

L-3 Communications Linkabit (Melbourne, FL) develops de-fense communications and electronic warfare systems to

protect soldiers and save lives on the battlefield. A division ofL-3 Communications, the sixth-largest defense company inthe United States, Linkabit focuses on developing systems thatsafeguard troops in the field by obscuring visibility, jammingradar signals, intercepting communications, and disruptinginfrared transmissions.

While Linkabit has always concentrated on the design ofdefense communications systems, the sophistication in-volved in innovating, creating, and manufacturing elec-tronic devices has changed greatly, ushering in a new setof design and production challenges, according to ThomasA. Romanisko, mechanical engineering manager at Link-abit. “The complexity of the 3D shapes we are involvedwith today is simply beyond the capabilities of the 2D de-sign tools the company once used,” Romanisko pointedout.

Linkabit selected the SolidWorks 3D design platform fromDassault Systemes SolidWorks Corp. (Waltham, MA) becauseit is easy to use, is compatible with all major file formats, of-fers robust sheet-metal capabilities, and provides seamless in-tegration with productivity-enhancing simulation and prod-uct data management (PDM) applications. The company

implemented a mix of SolidWorks Professional, SolidWorksPremium, and SolidWorks Flow Simulation software, as well asthe SolidWorks Enterprise PDM system.

“The seamlessness and range of tools in the SolidWorks de-sign environment make it the most capable development plat-form at its price point,” Romanisko said. “SolidWorks softwarehas helped us to respond to our engineering challengesquickly, innovatively, and cost-effectively.”

The M56E1 Motorized Smoke Obscurant System is repre-sentative of the products Linkabit develops with Solid-Works software. Mounted on a Humvee, the M56E1 in-cludes three types of obscurant systems: 90 minutes ofsmoke to obscure visual pinpointing, 30 minutes ofgraphite powder to obscure infrared sighting, and 30 min-utes of carbon fibers to obscure millimeter-wave location.The system is designed to protect passengers from visualand electronic weapons sighting.

“We used design configurations and sheet-metal capabili-ties extensively on the M56E1 system,” Romanisko said.“Configurations capabilities and the tolerance analysisfunctionality really help us design assemblies efficiently. Inparticular, configurations allow us to create exploded viewsas well as show different modes of operation, which saves alot of time.”

The SolidWorks 3D development platform helps L-3 Communications Linkabit develop sophisticated defense systems, such as the M56E1 Motorized SmokeObscurant System shown here.

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AIntro

www.aerodefensetech.com Aerospace & Defense Technology, April 2014

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Linkabit saves additional time andreduces its prototyping costs dramati-cally with integrated SolidWorks Sim-ulation tools. “Studying the effects ofstress, vibration, and temperature isextremely important when develop-ing electronics packages for equip-ment used in combat,” Romaniskonoted. “We also use SolidWorks FlowSimulation to study the impact of air-flow on temperature to design coolingsystems for electronics.”

Having the ability to simulate designsin software allows Linkabit to eliminatecostly prototype iterations. The com-pany also utilizes rapid prototyping toproduce SolidWorks component modelson a 3D printer. “Instead of creating 10prototypes, we use simulation to com-plete 10 design iterations,” Romaniskosaid. “This approach has reduced ourprototype development time by 75 per-cent.”

Worldwide CollaborationWith offices in Florida, California,

and New York, Linkabit uses Solid-Works Enterprise PDM software tomanage design revisions, secure accessto sensitive design data, and support

collaboration across the organization.The system replicates vaults at allthree locations, and enables the com-pany to automate its already well-reg-imented workflows using automaticemail notification. In addition, Link-abit used its PDM system to standard-ize its parts libraries for commonlyused components such as connectorsand fasteners, which eliminates un-necessary duplication of effort.

“Linkabit is a zero-geography organi-zation, which means we could have in-dividual engineers in California, NewYork, and Florida who are all collaborat-ing on the same project,” Romaniskoexplained. “With SolidWorks EnterprisePDM managing revisions, access, anduser rights, working with someoneacross the country is like working withsomeone next door.”

Using SolidWorks eDrawings® files,Linkabit has also improved communi-cations with customers. “It’s great to beable to share a 3D design with a cus-tomer,” Romanisko said. “The ability tomake cross-cuts, use transparency, andspin the model makes eDrawings files amuch better format than using PDFs.”

This article was contributed by Solid-Works Corp. For more information, visithttp://info.hotims.com/49744-542.

Having the ability to simulate designs in software allows Linkabit to eliminate costly prototype iterations.

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AIntro


Technology Update

ETS researchers develop new methodology for wind tunnel calibration

In recent years, the École de TechnologieSupérieure (ETS) Research Laboratory in

Active Controls, Avionics, and Aeroser-voelasticity (LARCASE) has acquired sev-eral research apparatus—a research flightsimulator Cessna Citation X, an open re-turn subsonic wind tunnel, and a flightautonomous system (UAV)—making itone of the few multidisciplinary researchlaboratories in Canada with a wide rangeof equipment with the capabilities ofsimulating aircraft models, especially air-foils, and validating the models with ex-perimental data collected on the ground(wind tunnel) and in-flight (UAV).

LARCASE researchers have developeda new approach for wind tunnel calibra-tions using a limited number of dy-namic pressure measurements and apredictive technique based on ArtificialNeural Network (ANN). Complement-ing the development of an ANN model,a further objective of the research wasto investigate an optimal method fordetermining local flow characteristicsby means of X, Y, and Z coordinates.Using a minimum of data collectedfrom the wind tunnel calibration fortraining, the ANN model would gener-ate the proper pressure for any given 3-

D coordinate inside the test section.The 12-m open-return subsonic wind

tunnel is a research apparatus used totest airfoils and validate CFD models.The wind tunnel allows for a safe con-trol of the flow conditions and makesmeasurements of pressure distributionon a wing shape possible. At the begin-ning, the air pressure rises through thecentrifugal fan creating lateral mixingof fluid layers, then the turbulent parti-cles are straightened by the filters pro-ducing a laminar flow. The wind tunnelconsists of a centrifugal fan, a diffusingsection, a settling chamber, a contrac-tion section, and a working section.

The flow develops a 0.18 Mach maxi-mum speed due to the engine and thedouble impeller centrifugal fan. Thetwo inlets at the opposite side of therotor allow the air supply to increasethe pressure flow, and the use of the 24small propellers by impeller allows thefan to turn at a much higher speed thannormal fans with large blades. The en-gine and the centrifugal fan are locatedinside the soundproof mechanical roomprotected from debris and dust.

The diffusing section consists of a wide-angle diffuser, a large settling chamber, a

contraction section, and a test section.From the static pressure buildup the flowis projected to an oval-shaped circular pat-tern flow straightener. Then the flow goesthrough a series of five filters: the first is ahoneycomb-shaped filter, and the otherfour are nylon squared-shape filters posi-tioned 0.5 m from each other.

The settling section allows the flow togo from a turbulent state to a laminarflow.

LARCASE’s wind tunnel has two testsections. The main one is 0.6 x 0.9 mmade in wood with Plexiglass remov-able doors able to reach 0.12 Mach. Thesecond test section, half the volume ofthe first one, is able to reach 0.18 Mach.

LARCASE researchers used the Ex-tended Great Deluge (EGD) algorithmin hybridization with the neural net-works to find the predicted pressure in-side of the test chamber of the open re-turn subsonic wind tunnel.

The hybrid NN-EGD method is pro-posed to control the pressure distribu-tion, by varying the coordinates of thepoint inside the test chamber, wingspeed, and temperature. The EGD algo-rithm is used to obtain the optimal net-work configuration such that the erroris as small as possible. Qualitative per-formance measures are used that de-scribe the learning abilities of a giventrained neural network.

To train and test the NN, ANSYS Flu-ent software is used to determine thepressure values inside the test chamber.The coordinate (X, Y, Z), the wind veloc-ity (V), and the temperature (T) of thetest chamber represent the inputs of themodel, the output is the pressure. A totalof 81628 points are used to train, vali-date, and test NN-EGD. The validationdata represent 15 % of the data set, 15%of the data set to test the approach, andthe rest to train NN. These points are se-lected randomly. Using the EGD algo-rithm, many architectures are tested. Theobjective was to obtain the simplest con-figuration to give the best results in ashort time of compilation. After ran-domly trying different combinations ofnumbers of neutrons and layers, the bestresults are obtained using a NN architec-ture composed of four layers feed-for-

The 12-m open-return subsonic wind tunnel consists of a centrifugal fan, a diffusing section, a settlingchamber, a contraction section, and a working section.

Configuration of used Neural Network (NN) taken from Matlab is shown. The number of neurons in eachlayer is 12, 15, 10, and 1, respectively.

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ward network. The number of neuronsin each layer is 12, 15, 10, and 1, respec-tively. The NN inputs are X, Y, Z, V, andT. The output is the pressure.

The optimal architecture obtainedusing the EGD algorithm and obtainingthe best results is composed of four lay-ers feed-forward network. The NN-EGDare implemented in Matlab.

To test the approach, researchers used14440 points. The average error of theobtained results in plane 1 is equal to7.22%. In the plane 2, the error is 4.42%,and the error in the plane 10 is equal to3.16% of the theoretic pressure.

By using this approach, the re-searchers successfully obtained thevalue of the pressure in each point of

the dataset according to the coordinatesof each point, the wind speed, and tem-perature of the test chamber.

This article is based on SAE Interna-tional technical paper 2013-01-2285 byAbdallah Ben Mosbah, Manuel Flores Sali-nas, Ruxandra Botez, and Thien-my Daoof École de Technologie Supérieure,

Boeing advances automation with smart and portable orbital drilling toolsfor 787

Since robotic work cells have provento be highly effective in certain ap-

plications, and the technology is alwaysimproving, some might dream of a daywhen aircraft can be made like cars onheavily automated assembly lines withall the associated benefits. Boeing hasmade an advance in that direction.

Robotic workcells are only able toachieve consistent quality becauseeverything in them is highly controlled;every aspect of the operation is carefullyplanned and tested and every workplacemust conform to a strict set of toler-ances to ensure quality. Luckily, there isan alternative: the fully autonomous ro-botic system.

In the fully autonomous robotic sys-tem, the robot is freed from the cell andequipped with a vast array of sensors. Itcan move about a large structure, iden-tify reference points, and perform oper-ations on an un-fixtured workpiece. Theonly problem with this scenario is theastronomically high cost of developingsuch a system—including a highly tech-nical workforce required to maintain it.

According to researchers at Boeingand Novator AB, the smart portable toolis, at its core, indistinguishable from afully autonomous robotic system inthat a complex end effecter is used toperform operation with high consis-tency while it is being positioned by ahyper-capable entity; the only differ-ence with a smart portable tool is thatthe entity is a human, not a super-ex-pensive imaginary robot.

The benefits of robotic systems areclear, but as with any complex systemthere is always the risk of protracted

breakdowns due to a complex problem.Since robotic systems are usually imple-mented at critical manufacturing flowpoints, a breakdown can cause a stop inproduction. The effect of a machinebreakdown must be considered whendesigning a process. The best insuranceis redundancy, but it might be difficultto justify buying a spare robot. In thecase of a smart portable tool such as aportable orbital drill motor, the cost of aspare is not prohibitive and any unitcan perform the task of any other likeunit—meaning that so long as onemotor is functioning the job gets done.

Another limiting factor to the roboticworkcell, or even a fully autonomousrobotic system, is the lack of versatility.The main challenge of a robotic applica-tion is creating a robust process. In gen-eral this involves developing a highlyspecialized process capable of perform-ing one job very well. In aircraft final as-sembly, the variety of jobs is great andnecessitates the development of manyunique solutions. Robotic systems de-signed for one task might be useless onthe next task and would undoubtedlyneed to be replaced or upgraded everytime a design change is implementedon the structure. The world’s scrap yardsare filled with yesterday’s specializedtools, but every factory is equipped withgeneral tools that have remained un-changed for decades. Tool obsolescenceis the enemy of agile assembly; toolingup for a new design should be a matterof adaptation, not invention.

The practical solution to increase theefficiency in final assembly is evolvingvia the development of smart portable

tools. Workers are at their most efficientwhen all information is available, nodecisions are required, and the risk ofmaking mistakes is reduced. Withtoday’s information technologies inte-grated into the portable tools, all ofthese issues can be addressed.

This capability to have the processknowledge built into the portable toolallows the positioning system (thehuman) to perform multiple activitieswithin the work area of the final assem-bly. It also stabilizes the assemblyprocess by enabling the skilled mechan-ics to cover for team members who mayhave an unplanned absence or mightjust be stepping out for a minute.

Boeing has traveled far down thispath by introducing smart portable tool

Front spar drilling on the Boeing 787 using theautomated orbital drilling technology. Here, twounits are shown in operation.

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Technology Update

technologies for orbital drilling in thewing-to-body join of its 787 Dreamliner.

Tapping into the depth of resourcesacross the corporation, the companyfound a technology fromSweden (Novator AB) beingdeveloped in California thatcould supply a solution fortheir assembly lines in Wash-ington state. With the “OneBoeing” philosophy, theywere able to create a team thatworked together to address allconcerns of hole quality,manufacturing costs, equip-ment reliability, productionsupport, and logistics.

Production mechanics andmotor setup technicianswere brought in at an earlystage to help design the lay-out of the workcell. All inputwas used to develop themost efficient sequencing of

the work to maximize productivity.With the use of simulation software andworkcell mockups, the mechanics werecompletely familiar with the equipment

and the new work sequencing beforethe first airplane was drilled.

The efficiency of the process is builtinto the smart motor’s programs, thus

scaling up production ratesby bringing in new mechan-ics for a second assembly lineproved to be painless. Thespeed at which a technologycan be expanded with the re-sulting increase in productiv-ity proves the smart portabletool philosophy to be theright approach to take fortoday’s aircraft and all finalassembly lines going for-ward.

The article is based on SAEInternational technical paper2013-01-2295 by WesleyHolleman and Eric Whinnemof Boeing Research & Technol-ogy; and Madeleine Wrede ofNovator AB.

An orbital drilling motor setup bench was established prior to launch of the newautomated drilling system.

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Tech Briefs

Software for Material/Structural Characterization AcrossLength ScalesA two-stage approach is used for element-by-element analysis of a micro-structure.

Simpleware Ltd., Exeter, United Kingdom

Synthetic and natural micro-architec-tures occur frequently, and multi-

phase functionally graded composites arebecoming increasingly popular for appli-cations requiring optimized/tailored ma-terial properties. When dealing with suchmaterials computationally, one issue thatimmediately arises is the analysis of themechanical properties of macroscopicallyinhomogeneous multi-scale structures.The bulk response of these structures canbe determined by performing full finiteelement analysis (FEA); that is, with theentire geometry discretized at a resolu-tion high enough to accurately model thesmallest length scale of interest. However,these full models may easily exceed hun-dreds of millions, or potentially billions,of degrees of freedom, and solving prob-lems of this magnitude may only be pos-sible with the use of supercomputing fa-cilities.

Additionally, in an iterative optimiza-tion process where the performance ofthe structure may be evaluated thousandsof times, the use of full FEA simulationsbecomes highly impractical. When theperformance of a structure is evaluated inan optimization process, typically onlysome aspect of the bulk response, such asdeflection, is considered. For such proper-ties, the use of full FEA simulations tomodel the problem may be excessive. Inthe present project, a novel, two-stage ap-proach to solving such a large problem byperforming element-by-element homog-enization of the micro-structure, followedby solving the global problem with acoarser mesh, was explored.

The approach taken is based on creat-ing a coarse tetrahedral/hexahedral dis-cretization of the domain using tradi-tional volume meshing techniques, andassigning appropriate material proper-ties based on a finite element homoge-nization based on high-resolution meshat the microstructural level of the macrotetrahedra or hexahedra. In effect, twolength scales are decoupled by comput-ing effective properties using the finite

element approach for each macro-ele-ment. The novelty here lies in effec-tively discretizing the full 3D mesh intolarger tetrahedra and hexahedra, andcomputing homogenized properties foreach macro-element based on exactmeshed domains representing the fullmicrostructural complexity within themacro-elements.

For the more general case, this work ex-ploited the use of robust, all-tetrahedralvolume meshing as a method for divid-ing an irregular domain into smaller sub-volumes for homogenization. As eachsub-volume conformed to its parentmacro-element, a method for calculatingtheir effective properties was developed.

At the highest level, the developed ho-mogenization process involves treatingthe sub-volume as if it were the actualmacro-element. Appropriate boundaryconditions are applied based on theshape functions of the macro-elementsuch that the sub-volume is constrainedto the same modes of deformation. A se-ries of finite element simulations is thenperformed in order to determine the sub-volume’s effective properties.

As part of the validation of the devel-oped homogenization technique fortetrahedral sub-volumes, a homogeneoussub-volume with fully anisotropic mate-rial properties was used as a “sanity test.”The input material properties were accu-rately recovered. More interestingly, thetechnique was also used to recover the

effective properties of a real-world struc-ture and compared to the results ob-tained using classical methods. TheSchoen Gyroid was chosen for this pur-pose as its periodic geometry allows peri-odic boundary conditions to be used.These boundary conditions are oftenconsidered to be the exact solution.

Following the development of a tech-nique to determine an effective constitu-tive matrix for an arbitrary tetrahedral sub-volume, the issue of multi-scale problemswas addressed. Of particular interest is theset of problems having an irregular (i.e.non-cuboidal) domain. While problems ofa more regular nature may be addressedwith more conventional methods of deter-mining effective constitutive matrices,they are nevertheless addressable using themethods developed in this work.

For many problems, it is highly im-practical to attempt to include alllength scales in a finite element model;consequently, it is often desirable toonly capture the coarser details. Ratherthan excluding the smaller lengthscales, a coarse mesh with appropriatehomogeneous material properties wasproduced. The process of generating themacro mesh is outlined in the figure.The homogeneous domain should con-form to the bounds of the original do-main as closely as possible, representingthe result of a “shrink-wrap” operation.

Each of the macro-elements in thegenerated mesh is subsequently homog-

The process of Generating the Macro Mesh: Femoral head modeling (a) input dataset, (b) coarse tetra-hedralization, and (c) micro-element.

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Tech Briefs

enized using the developed technique. As each macro-ele-ment is considered as an independent sub-volume, the pro-cessing may occur in either series or in parallel, depending onthe availa ble computational resources. The final result is amacroscopic homogenous model with varying material prop-erties that can be exported to a traditional finite elementpackage.

This work was done by Philippe G. Young of the University of Ex-eter; and David Raymont, Joonshik Kim, and Viet Bui Xuan of Sim-pleware Ltd. for the Air Force European Office of Aerospace Research& Development (EOARD). For more information, download theTechnical Support Package (free white paper) at www.aerode-fensetech.com/tsp under the Information Technology category.AFRL-0225

Model Development UsingAccelerated Simulations ofHypersonic Flow FeaturesThis code enables more accurate models forcomputational fluid dynamics applications.

Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington,Virginia

Currently, the two main computational tools used by theaerothermodynamics community to model hypersonic

flows are Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and the di-rect simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) particle method. Bothuse essentially the same physical models for rotational-vibra-tional excitation and dissociation phenomenon, which arebased on a limited number of near-equilibrium experimentsperformed at low temperatures.

The purpose of this work was to develop a new modelingcapability, based on computational chemistry, to provide amore fundamental understanding and develop more accuratethermochemical models for CFD and DSMC. A parallelDSMC code called the Molecular Gas Dynamic Simulator(MGDS) code, was developed that uses an embedded three-level Cartesian flow grid with automated adaptive mesh re-finement (AMR). The refinement is arbitrary (non-binary)and enables accurate and efficient simulations with little userinput. In addition, MGDS contains a robust “cut-cell” sub-routine that cuts complex 3D geometry from the backgroundCartesian grid and exactly computes the volumes of all cutcells. Combined within a DSMC solver, these two features en-able molecular-level physics to be applied to real engineeringproblems.

In addition to the practicality for complex 3D flows, theDSMC code acts as a bridge between computational chem-istry modeling and continuum fluid mechanics. With exist-ing parallel computer clusters, DSMC is able to performnear-continuum simulations using only molecular physics

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Tech Briefs

Chrono: A Parallel Physics Library for Rigid-Body,Flexible-Body, and Fluid DynamicsThis software enables 3D simulation of multi-body problems such as modeling granular terrain.

US Army TARDEC, Warren, Michigan; University of Wisconsin, Madison; and University of Parma, Parma, Italy

The Chrono::Engine software is ageneral-purpose simulator for three-

dimensional multi-body problems.Specifically, the code is designed to sup-port the simulation of very large sys-tems such as those encountered in gran-ular dynamics, where the number ofinteracting elements can be in the mil-lions. Target applications includetracked vehicles operating on granularterrain, or the Mars rover operating ondiscrete granular soil.

In these applications, it is desirable tomodel the granular terrain as a collectionof many thousands or millions of discretebodies interacting through contact, im-pact, and friction. Such systems also in-clude mechanisms composed of rigidbodies and mechanical joints. These chal-lenges require an efficient and robustsimulation tool, which has been devel-oped in the Chronosimulation package.

Chrono::Engine was initially devel-oped leveraging the Differential Varia-

tional Inequality (DVI) formulation asan efficient method to deal with prob-lems that encompass many frictionalcontacts. This approach enforces non-penetration between rigid bodiesthrough constraints, leading to a cone-constrained quadratic optimizationproblem that must be solved at eachtime step. Chrono::Engine has sincebeen extended to support the DiscreteElement Method (DEM) formulationfor handling the frictional contacts

models. Pure computational chemistryof simulation of shock waves andshock layers is computationally feasi-ble with modest parallel computing re-sources (100 core processors for a fewdays). Such simulations, which are re-ferred to as “all-atom molecular dy-namics” (MD) simulations, requireonly a potential energy surface (PES)

that dictates the interaction forces be-tween individual atoms as the modelinput. Thus, unlike DSMC or CFD, nomodels for viscosity, diffusion, thermalconductivity, internal energy relax-ation, chemical reactions, cross-sec-tions, or state-resolved probabilities/rates are required. Rather, every realatom in the system is simulated.

The methodology was validated withexperimental data for shock structure inmixtures of noble gases and diatomicnitrogen. All-atom MD simulations ofnitrogen discovered clear “direction-de-pendence” of translational-rotationalenergy transfer that is not captured byexisting models. Compressing flows in-volve fast rotational excitation, whereasexpanding flows involve slower relax-ation for the same equilibrium tempera-ture. A new model for both DSMC andCFD reproduces experimental data andis consistent among MD, DSMC, andCFD.

A combined MD-DSMC technique re-places the collision model in DSMCwith MD trajectories. The method repro-duces exactly pure MD results. This is asignificant advancement that enablessimulation of axisymmetric and 3Dflows where a potential energy surface isthe only model input. Thus, the accu-racy of pure MD is maintained for fullflow fields, directly linking computa-tional chemistry with aerothermody-namics.

This work was done by Thomas E.Schwartzentruber of the University of Min-nesota for the Air Force Office of Scientific Re-search. For more information, downloadthe Technical Support Package (free whitepaper) at www.aerodefensetech.com/tspunder the Information Technology cate-gory. AFRL-0226

A three-dimensional solution for Hypersonic Flow of argon over a capsule geometry. This simulationrequired only 128 cores for 12 hours using the MGDS code.

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Tech Briefs

present in granular dynamics problems. This formulationcomputes contact forces by penalizing small interpenetra-tions of colliding rigid bodies. Various contact force modelscan be used, depending on the application.

The core of Chrono::Engine is built around the concept ofmiddleware; namely, a layer of classes and functions that can beused by third-party developers to create complex mechanicalsimulation software with little effort. Given the complexity ofthe project, approaching half a million lines of code, the soft-ware is organized in classes and namespaces as recommendedby the Object Oriented Programming paradigm, targeting mod-ularity, encapsulation, reusability, and polymorphism. The li-braries of Chrono::Engine are thread-safe, fully re-entrant, andinclude more than 600 C++ classes. Objects from these classescan be instanced and used to define models and simulationsthat run in third-party software, including vehicle simulators,CAD tools, virtual reality applications, or robot simulators.

Chrono::Engine is platform-independent, so libraries areavailable for Windows, Linux, and Mac OSx, for both 32- and64-bit versions. A modular approach splits the libraries inmodules that can be dynamically loaded only if necessary,thus minimizing issues of dependency from other librariesand reducing memory footprint. For instance, libraries weredeveloped for MATLAB interoperability, for real-time visuali-zation through OpenGL, and for interfacing with post-pro-cessing tools.

Most C++ objects that define parts of the multi-body modelare inherited from a base class called ChPhysicsItem, which de-fines the essential interfaces for all items that have some degrees

A simulation in Chrono::Engine Software of a Mars rover-type wheeledvehicle operating on granular terrain. The vehicle is composed of a chassis andsix wheels connected via revolute joints. The wheels of the rover are checkeredblue and white to signify that the master copy of the rover assembly is in theblue sub-domain and the rover spans into adjacent sub-domains. Shared bod-ies (those that span sub-domain boundaries) are white.

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Tech Briefs

of freedom. A set of more than 30 me-chanical constraints is part of this classhierarchy. Furthermore, the architectureis open to further definition of new spe-cialized classes for user-customized partsand joints. The software architecture hasbeen designed to accommodate an ex-pandable system for handling assets(meshes, textures, CAD models), withmultiple paths from pre-processing topost-processing.

Chrono has been further extended toallow the use of CPU parallelism forcertain problems. To efficiently simu-late large systems, a domain decompo-sition approach has been developed toallow the use of many-core computeclusters. In this approach, the simula-tion domain was divided into a numberof sub-domains in a lattice structure.

Each sub-domain manages the simula-tion of all bodies contained therein.Bodies may span the boundary betweenadjacent sub-domains. In this case, thebody is considered shared, and its dy-namics may be influenced by the par-ticipating sub-domains. The implemen-tation leverages the MPI standard toimplement the necessary communica-tion and synchronization between sub-domains.

This approach enables the simulationof large systems in two ways. First, it re-lies on the power of parallel computingsince one compute core can be assignedto each MPI process (and therefore toeach sub-domain). These processes canexecute in parallel, constrained only bythe required communication and syn-chronization. Second, it allows access

to the larger memory pool available ondistributed memory architectures.Whereas a single node or GPU cardmay have about 6 GB of memory, a dis-tributed memory cluster may have onthe order of 1TB of memory, enablingthe simulation of vastly larger prob-lems.

This work was done by David Lamb ofUS Army TARDEC; Toby Heyn, HammadMazhar, Arman Pazouki, Daniel Melanz,Andrew Seidl, Justin Madsen, AndrewBartholomew, and Dan Negrut of the Uni-versity of Wisconsin; and AlessandroTasora of the University of Parma. Formore information, download the Tech-nical Support Package (free whitepaper) at www.aerodefensetech.com/tspunder the Software category. ARL-0158

Terrain Model as an Interface for Real-Time VehicleDynamics SimulationsThe vehicle terrain model interfaces with existing vehicle and tire dynamics models.

US Army TARDEC, Warren, Michigan

In order to enable off-road vehicle dy-namics analysis simulations when

traveling on soft soil, a deformable Ve-hicle Terrain Interface (VTI) model thatinterfaces with existing vehicle and tiredynamics models was developed. It ismodularized to be interfaced to a multi-body dynamics vehicle that supportsthe Standard Tire Interface (STI). Anytire model can be used that supports theSTI as well; currently, both rigid andflexible tire models are supported.

Geometry associated with the terrainprofile is a combination of low-fidelityterrain height measurements, with su-perimposed NURBS for high-frequencycontent. The terrain model can effi-ciently query the current height by lo-cally defining the surface as an equidis-tantly spaced x-y grid, and usingbi-linear interpolation of the nearestfour points. Points on the surface alsocontain information on the state of de-formation of the soil, notably theundisturbed terrain height, the type ofterrain, and the energy and power in-

volved in the soil deformation. The ter-rain takes a set of tire-terrain interfaceforces from the tire model, applies it tothe surface of the terrain, evaluates theterramechanics problem, and updatesthe soil states and deformed surfaceprofile for the subsequent time step.

In the context of off-road vehicle sim-ulations, terrain models fall into threecategories of increasing complexity:rigid terrain where the main focus is anaccurate surface profile, use of empiricalrelationships to find pressure and sink-age directly under the tire, or finite/dis-crete element approaches. Any off-roadvehicle dynamics simulation where thesoil deforms considerably requires a ter-rain model that accurately reflects thedeformation and response of the soil toall possible inputs of the tire in order tocorrectly simulate the response of thevehicle.

In this approach, fast simulations arepossible due to the inherent parallel na-ture of the subsoil stress calculations,which are the major computational bot-

tlenecks. Parallel CPU and GPU hard-ware is utilized to accelerate these com-putations. The model will be exercisedusing a rigid tire with and without lugsto demonstrate the ability to handlecomplicated tire geometry.

The Vehicle-Terrain Interactionmodel involves three main compo-nents: (1) a surface loading mechanismdue to 3D tire geometry contact withthe terrain, (2) stress propagation of theload through the subsoil, and (3) rigor-ous vertical soil stress/strain relation-ship.

At the beginning of a time step, thevehicle passes the tire wheel spindlestate data, which includes the positionand velocity of the Center of Mass(CM) in the reference frame indicatedby the Standard Tire Interface. The tirepasses an updated geometry profile tothe terrain in the form of a height mapquery, and the terrain database returnsthe collision information. Forces at thetire/terrain interface are found at eachtime step by using a combination of

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Tech Briefs

normal and slip forces, in conjunctionwith soft-soil tire boundary forces.These forces are passed from the tire tothe terrain model, where the terrainmodel applies Boussinesq and Cerrutisoil mechanics equations to determinethe pressure distribution in the volumeof affected material. The model treats acolumn of soil as a system of dis-cretized soil volumes, and each volumeelement is modeled using viscoelasto-plastic compressibility relationshipsthat relate subsoil pressures to achange in bulk density of the soil,which in turn produces soil displace-ments and changes to other soil statevariables. The outputs of the terrainmodel include tire-terrain pressure dis-tribution, terrain surface deformation,updated soil states, and power/energyrequired to deform the soil.

In order to determine the effect thesubsoil stress equations have whenthey are applied to the discretized soilvolume, a simplified tire that is as-sumed to be rigid applies a normalforce on the surface of the terrain ac-cording to the tire-terrain interactionmodel. A compression/rebound soil re-sponse is caused by an applied verticaldisplacement of 7" to the tire over 1second, followed by a horizontal wheeldisplacement at a constant velocity todemonstrate the rigid wheel’s effects onthe terrain while traveling at a steady

state velocity of 1.5 MPH. A rotationaldisplacement is applied to result in aminimal value of slip.

The second simulation example isrun, which is similar to the first, exceptthat the rotational displacement is ap-plied to give the tire a slip rate of ap-proximately 15%. The total displace-ment of the soil in the vertical directionat the end of the simulation is concen-trated about the loading area, and isstrongly influenced by the choice ofFrolich parameter value. There areslightly larger force vectors when com-pared to the low-slip simulation(mainly elongated in the direction oftravel), indicating that the shear dis-placement-shear stress relations prop-erly account for the tractive forces in-duced by wheel slip.

Example numerical results verify thatthe terrain database can handle tiregeometry that is complex and non-uni-form. The terrain model leverages paral-lel computing using both CPUs andGPUs and is shown to scale well, whichwill enable real-time deformable terrainto be simulated.

This work was done by Alexander Reid ofUS Army TARDEC. For more informa-tion, download the Technical SupportPackage (free white paper) atwww.aerodefensetech.com/tsp underthe Information Technology category.ARL-0159.

The 3D Tire Geometry used to determine collision points with the terrain.

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Application Briefs

Vacuum Regulators toSimulate Altitudes

EquilibarFletcher, NC828-650-6590www.equilibar.com

To support air assets, the US Navy’s Al-titude Laboratory in Maryland is

tasked with testing On-Board OxygenGenerating Systems (OBOGS). The labhas three hypobaric chambers to assessmechanical breathing simulators at alti-tudes up to 60,000 feet. The altitude inthe chambers is simulated by preciselyregulating the vacuum pressure.

Testing oxygen generating systemspresents unique challenges due to thehigh flow rates created by aircraft sys-tems, the complexity of sinusoidal breathing, and the life-and-death importance of a reliable system. Previously, thelab used traditional vacuum control valves to throttleflow between hypobaric chambers and vacuum pumps.While common throughout industry, such systems arenot capable of responding quickly enough to oxygen sys-tems’ frequent perturbations in pressure/flow balance.Barometric swings of 2000 to 4000 feet were observed insome chambers.

In 2011, the Navy contracted with Research, Engineeringand Development, Inc., and Spectrum Sciences, Inc., to im-

prove the accuracy of the simulated alti-tude. Working with Spectrum Sciencesaerospace engineer Curtis Stansfield andthe Navy’s Dennis Gordge, Equilibar de-signed three high-flow vacuum regula-tors. The design used high-resolutionProportion-Air electro-pneumatic regu-lators to pilot-operate the three vacuumregulators. The light weight, sup ple di-aphragm moves only a few millimetersto modulate the vacuum regulator fromfully closed to fully open. The thinViton diaphragm is sensitive to changesin pressure as small as 0.001 psi. Equi-libar regulators pro vide stable pressureacross flow rate changes of up to 1000:1and adjust to changes in flow rate inless than 10 milliseconds.

The new system provides a significantreduction in altitude pressure variation.Even with non-steady air crew exhala-

tion flows, the chamber altitude is maintained within +/- 50ft, an 85% reduction in variability. The system uses one bleedorifice and two separate solenoid valves for three differentmodes. A very small orifice allows a low constant bleed ratefor minor adjustments. A .25" sized orifice is used for con-trolled descent, and a .5" orifice allows for rapid ingress of airin a simulated emergency descent. The actual rate of descentin all cases is set by providing a matching ramping electroniccommand signal to the electronic pilot regulator.

For Free Info Visit http://info.hotims.com/49744-508

Electronic Attack Capability onUnmanned Aircraft

Northrop Grumman Corp.Falls Church, VA 703-280-2900 www.northropgrumman.com

Northrop Grumman Corporation has integrated and em-ployed an internal miniature electronic attack payload on

the Bat unmanned aircraft, marking the first time that such a sys-tem was used in operation on a Group III (small, tactical) system.

The Pandora electronic attack capacity, integrated in lessthan two months, is a low-cost derivative of Northrop Grum-man's upgraded digital APR-39 systems. The lightweight, mul-tifunction payload provides electronic attack, support, andprotection. Northrup Grumman showcased the system’s capa-bilities late last year in a demonstration that involved the jam-ming of radars during the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tac-tics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) Weapons and Tactics Instructor(WTI) event at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, CA.

Bat is a tactical, runway-independent, unmanned aircraftthat can be launched from land or sea. Its flexible design al-lows for quick installation of a variety of payloads and enablesrapid, expeditionary deployment. During a 2013 Weaponsand Tactics Instructor (WTI) event, the Bat completed multi-ple flights in collaboration with fixed wing and other un-manned platforms.


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Application Briefs

Armored Response Vehicle for BombDisposal Teams

Lenco IndustriesPittsfield, MA 413-443-7359www.LencoArmor.com

Lenco Industries has introduced the BearCat® EOD “Bom-bCat” armored response vehicle for bomb disposal teams

and EOD and IEDD first responders. Designed with inputfrom veteran explosive ordinance disposal experts, the Bomb-Cat accommodates a large tactical robot like the Andros F6A,which can be readily accessed using a fold-down ramp at thecurb side door or deployed from a hydraulically controlledplatform located at the front of the vehicle.

The BombCat’s spool storage reel manages the robot’s fiber-optic cable, while technicians monitor progress via computermonitors from the safety of the vehicle’s interior. Secure radio sig-nals also transmit robot audio and video feeds.

The BombCat includes an optional, roof-mounted 24Xzoom camera with high-intensity scene lighting that canbe raised up to 10 feet for enhanced visibility. A thermal

image camera, CBRNE equipment, and advanced commu-nications sensors are also available to meet operator needs.

All Lenco-armored trucks are built with Mil-Spec steel armor,plate-certified to defeat multi-hit attacks from 7.62 AP / .50 CalBMG, while ceilings and floors provide enhanced blast andfragmentation protection. Ballistic glass windows also offermulti-hit defeat. Additionally, BombCat models are built onheavy-duty commercial truck platforms, which allow upkeepand repairs to be performed at OEM dealers and truck centers.


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Signal Acquisition ModuleADLINK Technology (San Jose, CA)

has released its PXI Express dynamicsignal acquisition module, the PXIe-9529, featuring up to eight 24-bit ana-log input channels simultaneouslysampling at 192 kS/s and a 108 dB dynamic range. The PXIe-9529 features a vibration-optimized lower AC cutoff frequencyof 0.3 Hz, and all input channels incorporate 4 mA bias current.

The PXIe-9529’s built-in phase-locked loop (PLL) allowsmultiple modules to lock to an external reference-timing sig-nal; each module can perform measurements simultaneously.In addition, the PXI star trigger ensures synchronization be-tween modules with less than 1 ns of skew.

The PXIe-9529 provides flexible input ranges up to ±10V or±1V, software-selectable AC or DC coupling, and both differ-ential and pseudo-differential input configuration, with up to± 42.4V over-voltage protection for positive and negative in-puts in both configurations. The module supports Windows 8,Windows 7, Windows XP operating systems, and is fully com-patible with third-party software such as LabVIEW™, MAT-LAB®, and Visual Studio.NET®.


Single-Slot VPX BoardElma Electronic (Fremont, CA) offers a

dual-drive VPX storage module that pro-vides more than 2 terabytes (TB) of stor-age, but requires only one system slot.The 533x family comes with either solidstate SLC, MLC, or 2.5" rotating drives.

The 5330/1 boards feature a 4-portPCIe to SATA II 3 Gb/s controller, supporting two onboard andtwo external SATA 3G drives or four external drives. The con-vection-cooled versions operate from -40°C to +85°C, and theconduction-cooled versions operate from -40°C to +75°C. Op-erating shock of all boards is 40 Gs at 11 ms, half-sine wave;vibration is 2 Gs from 15 Hz to 2,000 Hz.


Thermal Analysis ToolA Thermal Analysis tool from Custom MMIC (Westford, MA)

estimates the rise in temperature between the ambient sur-rounding and the bottom of a packaged MMIC when attachedto a printed circuit board (PCB). The online calculator does notrequire a full 3D thermal simulation environment. Users selectthe package type, the power dissipation inside the package, thePCB board material, the via construction, and the base platetemperature (typically 85°C). The calculator then determines the

temperature rise through thePCB to the bottom of the pack-age, under the following as-sumptions: the PCB is platedwith 1 oz. copper (1.4 milsthick), the package is attachedto the PCB with solder (2 milsthick), and the base plate is anideal heat sink.


Single Board ComputerThe “Medusa” VPX3424 from

AcQ Inducom (Oss, TheNetherlands) is a 3U Open-VPX™ (VITA 65) singleboard computer (SBC) featuringthe T4240 QorIQ® processor fromFreescale Semiconductor. The 12-core,24-thread processor, based on an e6500 core,runs at up to 1.8GHz and 216 GFlops. The SBCincludes as much as 12GB DDR3 RAM.

To add support for application-specific interfaces, the Medusahas a Xilinx Kintex-7, user-programmable FPGA and dozens ofcustomizable OpenVPX™ user I/O pins. A PCIe 4x communica-tion interface enables pre-processing and video/image process-ing. Other features include built-in AltiVec® technology accel-erators; 2Mbit of FRAM; 256MB Flash for programs; andmulticore-debugging over AURORA and JTAG.



New Products

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Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/49744-855 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/49744-858



Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/49744-862Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/49744-861



ACCUFIZ 6MPHIGH RESOLUTIONLASERINTERFEROMETERThe AccuFiz 6MP providesthe highest available resolu-

tion for measuring steep slopes and small diameteroptics. Its 2400 x 2400 pixel sensor lets you meas-ure surface shape earlier in the manufacturingprocess, to capture polishing marks despite highfringe counts and to measure spherical/asphericaloptics and molds with unprecedented accuracy.See us at Defense, Security and Sensing, Booth300. ht tp ://4dtechnology.com/products/accufiz6MP.php

4D Technology Corporation

CRYOGENICALLYSERVICEABLEEPOXY SYSTEM EP29LPSP is a two compo-nent, low viscosity epoxysystem for bonding, seal-

ing and coating. This epoxy not only functions attemperatures as low as 4K, but also withstands cryo-genic shocks. Additionally, it meets NASA low out-gassing requirements. EP29LPSP provides superiorphysical strength properties, high chemical resist-ance, excellent electrical insulation and outstandingoptical clarity. www.masterbond.com/tds/ep29lpsp

Master Bond

RUGGEDFIREWALL/ROUTER/SWITCH/VPNGATEWAY

The newly developed Firewall/Router/SwitchSolution is designed for an environment of -40°C to85°C, and is produced 100% by MPL AG inSwitzerland. The product comes with the embeddedLinux based OpenWRT OS and provides full func-tionality. It includes a wide input power range andcan be customized according customer needs.

MPL AG Switzerland

AVIATIONPANELMETER (APM)REPLACESNSN 6620-00-083-8811.

The APM is qualified to RTCA-160F, MIL 461, 810F,901C, 167-1, and EPRI 102323R4 standards. TheAPM is available in loop power or 5-45VDC power.With a 4 digit digital display, unlike an analog meter,there is no more guessing or stuck needles. OTEKproducts carry a lifetime warranty. www.otekcorp.com

OTEK Corporation

Product Spotlight


New Products

Rotary Micro DriveNew Scale Technologies (Victor, NY)

has announced a prototype rotary piezo-electric micro drive system. Unlike servodrives, the new rotary drive has nomeasurable jitter, holds position with-out power, and generates no magneticfields. The 44 × 44 × 36 mm prototypeoperates at 350 degrees/second and hasan acceleration of 3000 degrees/second2

A tiny rotating stage integrates ahigh-torque, direct-drive piezoelectricmotor, precision ball bearings with lowrun out and wobble, optical encoderwith zero reference mark, and NewScale drive electronics and closed-loopcontrol system. The device is PC-con-trolled using New Scale Pathway™ soft-ware.

For Free Info Visithttp://info.hotims.com/49744-512

Microwave Analog Signal GeneratorsAgilent Technologies (Santa Clara,

CA) has introduced two microwave ana-log signal generators: the N5183B MXGand N5173B EXG. The MXG has phasenoise of less than -124 dBc/Hz (at 10GHz, 10 kHz offset). The EXG offers +20dBm at 20 GHz and low harmonics of <-55 dBc to characterize broadband mi-crowave components, such as filters

and amplifiers. The generator also sup-ports continuous-wave (CW) blockingfor receiver testing or basic local-oscilla-tor upconversion for point-to-point mi-crowave backhaul links.

For Free Info Visithttp://info.hotims.com/49744-518

SHX1 LONG-RANGE MULTI-CHANNEL TRANSCEIVERLemos International offers

the SHX1 Long-Range Multi-Channel Transceiverthat provides:• Unlicensed operation on MURS band frequencies

(under FCC Part 95)• Data rates up to 5 kbps for standard module• High-performance double superhet PLL synthesizer• Usable range over 5km• Re-programmable via RS232 interface, fully

screened, low profile, small footprint.www.lemosint.com

Lemos International

MULTIPHYSICSSIMULATIONPAPERS ANDPRESENTATIONSBrowse over 700 papers,posters, and presentationsf rom the COMSOLConference, the world’s

largest event for multiphysics simulation. At thisevent, over 2,000 engineers share their innovativeresearch in the electrical, mechanical, fluid, andchemical applications. Explore the innovativeresearch presented at the COMSOL Conference2013 at www.comsol.com/ntblit

COMSOL, Inc.

CUSTOM RUBBERMOLDING TO EXACTSPECIFICATIONSYou probably know us best as pro-ducers of rubber molded parts.However, you may not know thatwe’ve produced many parts that

other companies considered nearly impossible tomake. Our specialty? Precision custom moldedparts at a competitive price with on time delivery.Injection, transfer and compression molding ofSilicone, Viton, Neoprene, etc. Hawthorne RubberManufacturing Corp., 35 Fourth Ave., Hawthorne,NJ 07506; Tel: 973-427-3337, Fax: 800-643-2580,www.HawthorneRubber.com

Hawthorne Rubber

A WORLD OF FIBER OPTIC SOLUTIONS

• T1/E1 & T3/E3 Modems, WAN• RS-232/422/485 Modems and Multiplexers• Profibus-DP, Modbus• Ethernet LANs• Video/Audio/Hubs/Repeaters• USB Modem and Hub• Highly shielded Ethernet, USB (Tempest Case)• ISO-9001http://www.sitech-bitdriver.com/

S.I. Tech

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Ad Index For free product literature, enter advertisers’ reader service numbers at www.techbriefs.com/rs, or visitthe Web site beneath their ad in this issue.

Reader ServiceCompany Number Page

Reader ServiceCompany Number Page

www.aerodefensetech.comPublished by Tech Briefs Media Group (TBMG),

an SAE International Company

4D Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .855 . . . . . . . . . . . .47

ACCES I/O Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .840 . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Altair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .835 . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Aurora Bearing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . .849 . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Boyd Coatings Research Co. Inc. . . . . . . .844 . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Coilcraft CPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .830 . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

COMSOL, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .856, 864 . . . . .47, COV IV

Create The Future Design Contest . . . .838, 828 . . . . . . . . . . .11, 13

CST of America, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .863 . . . . . . . .COV III

FEKO - EM Software & Systems (USA) . .847 . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Fischer Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .839 . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Gage Bilt Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .865 . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Hawthorne Rubber Mfg. Corp. . . . . . . . . .857 . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Hunter Products Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .851 . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Lemos International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .858 . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Lyons Tool & Die Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .832 . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

M.S. Kennedy Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . .829 . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Manufacturing 4 The Future 2014 . . . . . .853 . . . . . . . . . . .45

Master Bond Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .848, 859 . . . . . . . .39, 47

Maxon Precision Motors, Inc. . . . . . . . . . .845 . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Mentor Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .834 . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Mini-Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .846 . . . . . . . . . . . .31

MPL AG Switzerland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .860 . . . . . . . . . . . .47

OFS | Specialty Photonics Division . . . . .850 . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Omnetics Connector Corporation . . . . . .841 . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Opto Diode Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .833 . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

OTEK Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .861 . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Photon Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .837 . . . . . . . . . . . .19

PI (Physik Instrumente) LP . . . . . . . . . . . .854 . . . . . . . . . . .46

Proto Labs, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831 . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

S.I. Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .862 . . . . . . . . . . . .47

SAE International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .842 . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Tech Briefs TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Thermacore, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .836 . . . . . . . . . . . .14

TRUMPF Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .827 . . . . . . . .COV II

UCSB Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .852 . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Verisurf Software, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .843 . . . . . . . . . . . .23

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Richard GardnerEuropean Editor (SAE)

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CST of America®, Inc. | To request literature, call (508) 665 4400 | www.cst.com

CST STUDIO SUITE 2014


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© Copyright 2012–2014 COMSOL. COMSOL, COMSOL Multiphysics, Capture the Concept, COMSOL Desktop, and LiveLink are either registered trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and COMSOL AB and

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COMSOL Multiphysics

®COMSOL MULTIPHYSICSVERIFY AND OPTIMIZE YOUR DESIGNS WITH

Multiphysics tools let you build simulations that accurately replicate the important characteristics of your designs. The key is the ability to include all physical effects that exist in the real world. To learn more about COMSOL Multiphysics, visit www.comsol.com/introvideo

®

TH

s let you build simulations that accurately

®

VERIFY AND OPTIMIZE YOUR

RFID: Simulation of a reader-transponder pair for radio-frequency


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April 2014 Welcome to your Digital Edition of35 Technology Update 44 Application Briefs 46 New...

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Transcript of April 2014 Welcome to your Digital Edition of35 Technology Update 44 Application Briefs 46 New...